Sailor Moon: Chaos Rising
by Jonah Mark
Summary: Past, Present, and Future start blending together into chaos. For some reason, Raye Hino is the target of assassination while the Negaverse is searching desperately for another heir to the throne of the Moon Kingdom. COMPLETE!
1. Weight of the World

**Chapter One**

**Weight of the World**

It was another sleepless night. She laid on her back staring at the ceiling. Her forearm rested against her throbbing head. She glanced towards her window looking at the dim light from the rising sun. Looking over towards her alarm clock, she closed her eyes again since she had a few more minutes to rest. She sighed.

She had the dream before—man in black dashing through her dreams. He saved her, protected her, and held her tightly. They stood together in the ruins of the Moon Kingdom holding each other tightly. The man would cup her face in his hands and kiss her. Even though they were just vague images, they felt so real.

The girl touched her lips as tears leaked from her eyes. Why did she dream of someone she could never have? The blurred images looked so much like the dark warrior that strolled by moonlight to protect the Sailor Scouts. Why did she dream of Tuxedo Mask—the future King Endymion, husband of Neo Queen Serenity, the one she swore to protect.

She always turned off her emotions. She never looked him in the eye. She never mentioned him, thought about him, or anything. It didn't seem so bad while trying to live her life day to day, but at night, it killed her. It killed her to be loved, touched, and kissed in her dreams only to awake to a cold and lonely reality. Yes, they were just blurs of random images, but they felt so real.

Suddenly, the alarm clock started buzzing. Raye fluttered her eyes open and reached over to the alarm clock. She slammed her hand down on it to shut it off. She groaned and rolled over out of bed to start a new day.

* * *

Raye stepped out onto the bright morning sun. She gazed around the courtyard of the Cherry Hill Temple then sighed. There was so much work to do. The yard needed to be raked, the sidewalks swept, the floors scrubbed, the offerings collected, and her mind became overwhelmed with the numerous tasks. She walked down the porch that winded around the shrine and headed for the shed. She opened the door and grabbed a rake. Heading over to the yard, she started to rake the fallen twigs, leaves, and branches out of the grass. She sighed again. There was so much work to do. Her Grandfather was gone on business leaving her with all the chores—not that he could do much anyway. It seemed as time went on, the more and more responsibility was placed on Raye to take care of the shrine.

"What'cha doing?"

Raye cringed. She knew exactly who it was. "What do you want, Serina?" She asked, without even turning around.

"Nothing. Just wanting to know what you're doing."

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Raye snapped, not in the mood to talk to Serina after last night.

"Geeze, sorry." Serina circled around Raye for a few moments.

Raye's patience grew thin as Serina quietly walked around her. "What do you want, Serina?"

"You wanna go to the arcade with me?"

"No, I'm busy!"

"You're always busy!"

Raye kept sweeping. "Of course I am. I have chores to do, unlike someone I know!"

"I have chores!" Serina placed her hands on her hips. "I have to make my bed everyday!"

Raye rolled her eyes. "You've never had a hard day's work in your entire life!"

"That's not true!"

The two girls started to argue back and forth furiously until the rest of the crew joined them and split them up. The blue haired girl stepped in between the fighting pair. The tall brown haired girl directed Raye's attention away from Serina while the other blonde grabbed Serina's attention.

"There that's better. Friends shouldn't fight," Mina said.

"She started it," Raye balked.

Serina stomped her foot into the ground. "I did not!"

"Anyway," Leta said. "Why don't we all go have some fun? School starts in a couple of days. We only have one more week of freedom."

"Well, I thought we could actually start reviewing for the school year. I already have a six chapter head start in Calculus…"

"Yeah, right Ami, nobody wants to spend our last week of vacation studying…" Serina laughed.

"Yeah, especially since Serina hasn't even passed basic Algebra yet. Don't worry, you'll get those multiplication tables someday."

"Shut up, Raye!" Serina crossed her arms.

"That was kinda harsh, Raye." Leta sighed.

Raye kept sweeping the yard, feeling a little embarrassed that her friends didn't think the joke was as funny as she did.

"Well, anyway," Mina shrugged her shoulders. "Why don't we all go out for brunch then go shopping for some new school clothes?

"I can't." Raye said.

"Why not?" Mina asked.

"I have too much to do."

Mina crossed her arms. "Raye, you never take a break. Look at you, you're exhausted and miserable looking. Why don't you just go out with us?"

"I can't! Someone has to take care of this place, and if I don't do it, nobody else will!" Raye snapped angrily.

The girls fell silent after Raye's emotional outburst. They all gave each other nervous looks. As time passed on, Raye was growing increasingly angry, stressed, and rude towards them all. They didn't know what they did or what was wrong—they never knew.

"When's your Grandfather coming home?" Ami finally spoke up.

"Maybe tomorrow. I don't know." Raye sighed.

Serina bit her lip. "Where'd he go again?"

"Kyoto," Raye said shortly, trying not to blow up again. Serina opened her mouth, but Raye spoke before she could speak. "He's visiting another temple," She said, answering the question Serina never asked.

Serina stood quietly for a few moments then started to open her mouth again. Raye spoke up before Serina could again. "He's at Tsukiyama Shrine outside Kyoto. He goes there every year."

Serina stopped her foot. "Why do you always do that?"

"What?" Raye smirked, knowing exactly what.

"Always saying what I want to say before I say it!"

Raye shrugged her shoulders. "What can I say, you're predictable."

Serina folded her arms and started to grumble.

Ami looked at Raye curiously, "Raye, hasn't your Grandfather taken more trips this year than just one?"

"Yes, he's been going to Kyoto much more frequently. He's been there almost once a month since the beginning of the summer."

"Maybe he's looking for a new shrine?" Mina suggested.

"Oh, Raye, are you gonna move to Kyoto?"

Raye gave Serina an annoyed look. "Don't be stupid! This shrine has been in my family for almost 400 years."

"Just wondering." Serina looked away from Raye.

"Well, it doesn't make any sense. Why would your Grandfather be going to Kyoto so much?" Leta wondered.

"I don't know. I guess he just wants to pray or something." Raye said, apathetically.

"I know!" Mina smirked. "I bet he's got a girlfriend!"

Serina and Leta nodded their heads as if revelation had enlightened the situation.

Raye laughed sarcastically. "That's ridiculous!"

"Think about it! Why else would he be sneaking off to Kyoto once a month? He must have met someone there on his annual visits then has been going more frequently to see her." Mina smiled at her reasoning.

"Why is it that your mind only works when you're trying to figure out who's dating who?" Raye asked.

Mina shrugged. "Don't know. It's a gift."

Raye looked over at Ami. "You don't believe this garbage, do you, Ami?"

Ami looked at her feet. "It is a real possibility. I mean..."

"Oh, shut up!" Raye hissed.

The girls laughed as Raye grew extremely frustrated.

"Just go away! I have work to do."

Leta rubbed her hands together. "Come on, girls. Let's help Raye get her chores done so we can have some fun."

The girls nodded. "Right."

"No, forget it! I'll do it myself," Raye snapped.

"I'll get the sidewalk," Mina said.

"Good, I'll scrub the deck." Leta rolled up her sleeves.

"Come on, Serina." Ami grabbed Serina's arm. "We'll collect and count the offerings."

Raye shook her head and continued to rake the yard.

* * *

The Sailor Scouts spent the whole day cleaning and scrubbing the Cherry Hill Temple. They didn't realize how much responsibility was placed on Raye everyday, and it made them more emphatic to their friend who always seemed to be tired and stressed. The five of them laid on the porch as the late afternoon sun warmed their bodies.

"Can you believe we only have one more year of high school?" Mina asked.

"Hmmm, no…" Leta murmured with her eyes closed as she laid on the porch.

"I mean, the future is going to carry us off in so many directions that I don't know…" Mina leaned against one of the support posts to the roof.

"Well, I know what I'm doing after high school." Serina softly said as she lay next to Leta. "I'm going to marry the most wonderful man in the universe."

"You're so lucky, Serina," Mina sighed.

"It'll come for us someday," Leta said. "It might be coming for Ami sooner than she thinks."

Ami blushed. "Nothing is going on with Shoji and I."

"Yeah, nothing except that he applied to the same pre-med program you applied to," Serina giggled.

Leta and Mina giggled too as Ami blushed an even deeper shade of red. The girls sat in silence for a few moments.

"How about you, Raye?"

Raye sat a few feet from the other girls in an Indian style position. She was silent as she stared hard into the sinking sun. "Huh? What?"

"What's wrong with you? You've been really quiet." Serina sat up and looked over at Raye.

"Nothing." Raye glanced over then turned back to the sun to keep the girls from seeing the tears forming in her eyes.

"So what are you gonna do after high school?" Mina asked.

Raye sat silent for a moment. "I don't know," She whispered. She prayed to herself that they wouldn't ask her any more questions and would just leave her alone.

Her prayers were answered as a short, bald man reached the top of the great stairs and appeared onto the temple courtyard.

"Grandpa." Raye stood up off the porch and walked over to the stairs. The other girls followed quickly behind Raye.

The small man looked around the courtyard. "Well, you haven't destroyed the place."

"I did my best, Grandpa." Raye bowed to the short man.

"Good."

"You're back earlier than I thought."

"Why were you going to have a wild party when you thought I was gone?"

"No, Grandpa."

"Well, if you were, I wouldn't mind if you brought some of your cute girlfriends over…"

"Grandpa!" Raye interrupted.

"Very well." The old man cleared his throat and reached down for his luggage.

"Let me get that, Grandpa."

"I got it."

"Grandpa! Let me! The doctor said…"

"I can get my luggage you little brat!"

The girls watched a usual sight as Raye and her Grandpa verbally argued over the little things.

"Master, is that all?"

Everyone looked down the stairs to see where the strange voice came from. Instantly, all the girls' eyes filled with hearts, that is, except for Raye who grew extremely skeptical.

"Oh, my gosh! He's gorgeous!" Mina uttered.

Grandpa motioned his hand back towards the young man standing on the steps. The young man stood tall with beautiful blonde hair with wild locks that stood up and his sapphire blue eyes glanced over all the people at the top of the stairs. He was well built, handsome, but sad looking with pain-filled eyes.

"This is Kyoji Tsukiyama. I've hired him to help us here at the shrine."

"Oh, no! We do not need any help!" Raye snapped.

The young man looked over at the raven haired girl for the first time and locked his eyes on her.

"What are you talking about? You were swarmed with chores just this morning!" Serina said.

"This is our shrine! We don't need any outsiders coming in here and getting into our business!"

"Why you ungrateful little brat! I've done nothing but feed and clothe you and this is how you repay me…"

Raye suddenly jerked her head over at Kyoji and stared him in the eye. "What are you staring at?"

Kyoji pulled his eyes away. "Sorry, I…

"I won't hear any more of this!" Grandpa yelled.

"Would you use your brain for just a minute!" Raye screamed. "He'll just walk off and leave us like Ch…" Raye trailed off her words.

Grandpa folded his arms. "This isn't about me hiring help. It's about your failed relationship with Chad."

Raye's face twisted in fury. "How dare you!" She stormed off with anger burning and raging in her soul.

The girls stood silent as they watched their friend take off.

"Don't you think that was a little harsh, sir?" Serina asked, emphatically.

"The truth is truth," Grandpa stated plainly.

"Yeah, but he broke her heart. I mean, it was in the newspapers and everything. He was caught cheating with another girl after one of his concerts," Leta said.

Grandpa stood silent for a few moments then picked up his luggage. "Let's go, Kyoji. I'll show you to your shed."

"Yes, Master." Kyoji picked up his luggage and followed the short old man through the courtyard.

The girls walked over to Raye's bedroom. Serina took the liberty off knocking on the door. "Raye, are you in there? Will you let us in?"

Raye laid silently on her bed as tears streamed down her face. She sat quietly wished the world would just disappear.


	2. Choices

**Chapter Two**

**Choices**

The two stubborn relatives stared each other down. Both had their arms crossed against their chests. The old short man glared upwards while the taller raven haired girl stared down with a scowl. They had argued for six hours straight about the boy. Raye constantly hounded her grandfather to send him away, but her grandfather would refuse with all his might. He was not a tall or strong man, but he would not be bullied into something he didn't want.

"I just don't understand why you had to bring him here!" Raye threw her arms in the air.

The old man sighed and released his arms to his side. He walked over to the dining room table and sat down. Only the dim light of the dying fire lit his face. He rubbed his hands over his bald head and old face. "Raye, I'm getting old."

Raye's anger slightly relented. She walked over to the table and sat down in the seat next to her grandfather. "I'll always be here to take care of the temple. This is our family's legacy. I'll always take care of it. We don't need anyone else."

Her grandfather rubbed his face again. "You cannot take care of this entire temple by yourself…"

"I'll train a few Miko to help me!" Raye interrupted.

Grandpa shook her head. "Raye," he sighed.

"What?"

Her grandfather folded his hands together on top the table. "I am an old man. I don't have many years left in me. And when I die…"

"Don't talk like that!"

Grandpa raised his hand to silence Raye. "When I die, I have stated in my will that Kyoji Tsukiyama is to inherit Cherry Hill Temple."

"WHAT!" Raye jumped up from her chair. "HOW COULD YOU! TAKE IT BACK!"

Grandpa paused for a moment. "I have promised Tsukiyama-san your hand in marriage and the Cherry Hill Temple when I die."

More fire surged through Raye's soul and circled in her eyes. "HOW COULD YOU! I WILL NEVER MARRY HIM!"

Grandpa solemnly nodded his head. "Yes, you do have the right to refuse, but you will have no part of this temple if you do."

Raye looked at him completely baffled with tears forming in her eyes. "You're forcing me to choose between my heart and my heritage?" Raye looked up to try and hold the tears in. "I either have to abandon my heart and happiness or the very temple that my family has kept for 400 years!"

"It's not like that…"

"It is like that!" Raye spat angrily, tears dropping from her eyes. "You're forcing me to marry someone I don't even know and if I don't, I lose my family's honor?"

"You're making things more complicated than it seems." Grandpa stood up from his chair. "Tsukiyama-san is a nice young man…"

"I don't even know him! I don't love him!"

"Get to know him. Learn to love him."

Raye stomped her foot. "You're a barbarian! I should be able to choose whom I marry! This isn't fair!"

"Raye, you still have a choice…"

"Yeah, I'll lose the temple if I don't choose what you want me to! You're manipulating me!"

"You have the choice to put aside your pride and do what I wish for you!" Grandpa's anger started to flare again.

"You don't know what is best for me!"

Grandpa slammed his fist against the table. "You will do what I wish, or you will disinherited from this family!"

Raye clenched her fists as more tears poured from her eyes. "I hate you!" She stomped her foot again and stormed out of the room. As she walked trough the doorway, Tsukiyama-san was entering the room. She stormed right past him plowing her shoulder into his. The young man stepped back and caught his balance. After Raye departed, he gingerly stepped into the dark room. "Master, is everything alright?"

The old man walked over to the fireplace and stared into the dancing flames. "Yes, everything is fine," he said solemnly.

The young man's face looked curiously at the old man, but said nothing. He took a step towards the fireplace and stood on the other side of the bricks. He was tall compared to the old man and even to most other Japanese. He was 5'9'' with beautiful golden blonde hair that was wild and restless. Hair draped over his left eye, only revealing one of the saddened sapphire blue eyes he had. He was strong and muscular, but not bulky.

The old man looked up at the young man. "Yes, everything is fine."

"Master, if I beg your pardon, I am afraid that everything is not…"

"It is fine, Kyoji-san." Grandpa insisted.

"Yes, Master," Kyoji bowed. "May I be excused?"

"Yes, you may."

Kyoji exited the room, and Grandpa turned his eyes back to the dancing flames. "Raye, why do you always have to make things difficult?" He pondered aloud.

* * *

A few days had passed. Raye sat in front of the mirror combing her long beautiful silky hair. It was the first day of school—her _last _first day of school. It was her senior year at Matsumura High School. It would seem to be a happy time, but it wasn't. She propped her elbow against her dresser and pressed her face into her hand. Closing her eyes only brought images of a dark warrior dancing through her mind. She squinted to try to dismiss the thoughts, but she opened her eyes with tears forming. Her heart longed for the dark warrior, she was guarded and broken from her past love, while being betrothed to a complete stranger. It was a paradox indeed. No sooner had she wiped the tears from her eyes, the door to her bedroom slid open. Serina and Leta stood in the doorway beckoning their friend to come outside.

"Don't you people know how to knock?"

"Knocking? What's that?" Leta smiled playful while looking at Serina.

"Come on, Raye! Hurry up!" Serina said.

Raye stood up from her dresser and walked over to the bed. Grabbing her bag and slinging it around her arm, she looked to the door where her friends were and made her way towards them. After stepping out onto the bright morning sunlight, she saw her other two friends—Ami and Mina. The five of them congregated into a huddle on the sidewalk and started talking instantly.

"So what you guys want out of this year?" Leta asked everyone.

Mina smiled and blushed at the same time. "I want to find love."

Leta sighed. "Me too."

Raye rolled her eyes. "Oh, please!" She tightened her grip on her bag. A door slid open on the other side of the courtyard, and the girls turned their attention to the noise. Out stepped Tsukiyama-san wearing normal western clothes for the first time the girls had ever seen. The young man stepped out in blue jeans, flip-flop sandals, and a black vintage tee-shirt with a white collar shirt thrown over it. His blonde hair was still wild and messy, but extremely cute. He ran his hand through his hair and threw on his bookbag. .

"Well, it looks like Raye's already found love." Mina giggled. "I wish my parents would set me up with a hottie like that! Gosh, I think if I were you, I'd drop out of school and marry that hottie as fast as I could!"

Raye's anger flared. "Serina, why did you tell them?"

Serina shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "Couldn't help it."

"Tell us what?" Leta asked.

Mina circled around Raye. "That one day Raye and that hottie over there are going to be married," she stretched her words playfully.

"What?" Leta smiled. "You're getting married?"

"Is it true, Raye?" Ami looked away from her book she happened to be reading at the time.

"NO!" Raye spat, crossing her arms. "My grandfather arranged us, but there is no way on this earth I'm going to marry him!"

"Oh, I bet he's not so bad!" Serina said. She started waving her arms. "Yoohooo! Hey! You!" Kyoji looked over at the blonde in pigtails and then looked back down to his feet. "Yes, you! Come over here!"

The young man walked over to the girls slowly, keeping his eyes at his feet and his left eye hidden behind his hair. He walked up to the group of giggling girls and blushed a deep shade of red.

"You wanted me, Miss?" Kyoji uttered, not looking up.

"Well, I'm Mina!" She bowed. Kyoji responded, without making much eye contact. Leta and Ami followed suit, and he bowed to them. Serina tilted her head to look him straight in the eye and smiled. "I'm Serina Tsukino." Her beautiful blue eyes locked with his saddened blue eyes. He didn't look back down, but he faintly smiled. "Kyoji Tsukiyama."

"Are you going to school?" Serina asked.

"Yes."

"This is our last year. How about you?"

Kyoji nodded, only keeping his eyes on Serina. "Yes, mine too."

Mina stepped forward. "What are your plans after school?" She asked, flirtatiously.

Kyoji glanced over at her, but couldn't look her in the eye. "Uh, I...uh…"

"He's going to try to steal my temple!" Raye spat.

Kyoji nervously glanced over to Raye then looked back to his shoes.

"Well, I suppose we should head to school. We only have 35 minutes." Ami stared at her watch.

"Would you like to walk to school with us?" Serina asked.

"No, thank you. I will be fine on my own." Kyoji shifted his weight onto his right foot.

"Please, would you come with us?" Serina asked, pouting.

Kyoji looked up into the sweet pouting girl's eyes, and he nodded his head. "I suppose I could."

Leta, Ami, and Mina eyed each other suspiciously.

* * *

The five girls stepped into Matsumura High School for their senior year. Kyoji looked curiously along the hallways since it was a brand new school for him. The girls were dressed in forest green sailor uniforms with a navy blue trim. The boys walked around in navy blue suits and white collar shirts.

"You'll need to stop buy the office, Kyoji, to pick up your class schedule," Ami said.

"Where is the office?" He asked, not looking her in the eye.

"Over there," Leta pointed down the hallway.

"Thank you." He walked off towards the office and weaved through the crowds of students.

"Oh, my gosh, he is so shy." Mina shifted her weight as she watched him walk away.

"Yeah, but it's kinda cute." Leta said as she cocked her head while staring at Kyoji walking.

"He's very polite," Ami stated.

"And very…hot!" Serina laughed.

"I think he likes you, Serina!" Mina giggled.

Serina rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right!"

"Yeah, you're the only one he'd look at!" Leta teased. "Poor guy, if he only knew you were taken."

"Well, apparently, he's taken too!" Mina elbowed Raye in the arm.

Raye rolled her eyes. "There isno way that'll ever happen!" She started walking down the hallway toward her locker. She turned the knob on the door and did the combination to open it. After opening the door, she started unloading the contents of her bag. Her friends congregated around her locker.

"So what's your first class?" Ami asked.

Raye pondered for a moment. "Japanese."

"Uh, I have Health," Leta said.

"Yeah, me too," Serina said.

"Calculus for me," Ami stated.

Mina looked at her schedule. "French."

"Since when do you take French?" Raye asked.

"Since now! To find _mi amor_…" Mina giggled.

Raye rolled her eyes again and slammed her locker shut. "Let's just go to class!"

People started to hush and quiet down. The five girls looked over to where the commotion was. On the stairway descended the golden boy of Matsumura High School, Daitatsu Atsuji. On his left and right, were the Honda twins—Izumi and Taro. Daitatsu was the most popular boy in school—rich, good-looking, and athletic. Every guy was jealous of him, and every girl wanted to date him. He finished the stairs and the crowd split for him to walk. His dark brown eyes glanced around the hallway then rested at Raye. He smirked then walked towards the raven haired girl.

"Hey, you're Keiko right?"

"Uh, my name's Raye."

Mina almost fainted because she was so close to Daitatsu, but Leta kept her standing.

"Yeah, that was my next guess." Daitatsu flashed his smile. The smile that made women go weak at the knees. "So would you like to go out with me sometime?"

"Uh," Raye glanced around. She saw Kyoji approaching toward her and the group of friends. "Yes." Kyoji stopped and stood next to Raye. "I would love to go out with you sometime, Daitatsu." Raye said, enunciating every word for Kyoji to her.

Daitatsu smirked. "Good." He rubbed his hand through his short brown hair. He glanced over at Kyoji and smirked even deeper. "Well, I see you around then." He started to walk off, but he turned around smiling again. "By the way, just call me Daita." Raye nodded, relishing in the fact that Kyoji was staring at her. "Okay, Daita." Only Daitatsu's closest friends would call him just Daita. Daitatsu turned back around and continued down the hallway with his friends Izumi and Taro.

"Oh, my gosh, Raye!" Mina exclaimed. "Daitatsu Atsuji just asked you out on a date!"

Kyoji glanced over then looked back to his shoes, and Raye started to relish in the attention.

"I can't believe it either." Raye said, smirking.

"Wow!" Leta placed her hands on her cheeks. "Can you set me up with Taro? I think he's just wonderful…" Leta sighed.

"I'll take Izumi then!" Mina exclaimed.

Raye laughed at all the attention she received. "I'll see what I can do. I'm only going on one date with him."

The school bell rang. Everyone looked up at the bell.

"Well, I guess, I will see you all later." Leta said.

"Right." Ami nodded.

Everyone took off towards their classroom while Kyoji started at his schedule.

"Where are you going?" Serina asked.

"History." Kyoji tugged on the strap of his backpack.

Serina smiled. "I'll show you where you need to go."

"Thank you." Kyoji looked up into Serina's eyes. He gave a faint smile then looked back down to the floor.

* * *

The blonde haired boy slowly walked down the sidewalk clenching the straps of his backpack and staring at his feet. Many of the students from Matsumura High flooded the sidewalk and passed the slow moving boy. He would occasionally look up at a crowd or two passing by, but he would only glance for a second them return his eyes to the ground. Soon, all the groups of students had passed him, and he was alone traveling home from school. He passed by the video arcade and saw students socializing. The door flew open and he stopped quickly to keep from getting hit in the face. A few students poured out of the arcade in front of him. They didn't notice him standing at the door as they passed by. He looked back down to his feet again.

"Kyoji!"

The boy looked up. "Serina."

With an ice cream bar in her mouth, the blonde haired girl smiled warmly. "What are you doing around here? Come to play some video games?"

Kyoji shook his head. "No, I am just going back to the temple."

"You're not going to hang out with your friends after school?" Serina looked puzzled—what else was there in life besides goofing off with friends?

Kyoji shook his head again. "No."

"Well, come on! I'm hungry! Let's get something to eat!" Serina grabbed Kyoji by the wrist and started dragging him down the street. "I've been wanting a cheeseburger all day."

Kyoji pulled his arm away. "I probably shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"I have homework and chores."

Serina looked Kyoji in the eye and smile. "Just relax! You're always so tense! Come on! Let's go eat something!" She started walking again and Kyoji followed. "Eating something always makes me feel better."

"Maybe just this once."

"That's the spirit!"

They walked a few meters down the street then turned left and the stoplight. After a few minutes of walking in silence, they finally reached the café that was the favorite of the sailor scouts. They entered into the bustling café with many students talking loudly. As Serina and Kyoji made their way to an empty booth in the back, many of the students eyed them and started whispering quietly among themselves. Kyoji took off his backpack and threw it into the booth and sat down. Serina took a seat on the other side and smiled. "This is my favorite place to eat after school."

Kyoji glanced around then nodded.

Soon, the waitress came up and took their orders. Kyoji ordered a glass of water while Serina order two slices of pizza, a cheeseburger, and a side of fries.

Stunned, Kyoji looked at Serina. "Have you not eaten in a while?" Serina pondered for a moment. "Yeah, I haven't eaten since lunchtime." Kyoji glanced at his watch and noted that was only three hours ago, but he didn't say anything.

After a moment of silence, Serina smiled and folded her hands together. "So tell me about yourself, Kyoji."

Kyoji glanced up. "There isn't much to say."

"Nonsense!" Serina unfolded her hands. "Where were you born? Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like? Who's your best friend? You know, that kind of stuff."

Kyoji pondered for a moment. "I was born in Kyoto and grew up at the Tsukiyama Temple my whole life."

"Well, what are your parents' names? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Tell me about your family."

Kyoji bit his lip. "I don't have any family."

"What do you mean?"

"I was abandoned at birth in the Tsukiyama Temple. I became a ward of the Temple and was given the last name Tsukiyama. I was raised by Master Tenzen and the other priests."

Serina frowned. "I'm sorry, but at least you had the priests to take care of you. Were you close to your Master?"

Kyoji glanced away. "No."

"Well, tell me other things. What did you do for fun? Who were your friends?"

"I didn't have much time for leisure, and I didn't have any friends."

"You're telling me that you never had any friends?"

"Yes."

"How about now?"

"No."

Just then, the sailor scout gang walked up and crowded into the booth with Serina and Kyoji. Ami and Leta squeezed in next to Serina while Mina offered for Raye to sit next to Kyoji, but Raye refused angrily. The table became even more noisy after the waitress brought Serina's snack, and everyone starting picking at the food. Kyoji glanced around at the five girls uncomfortably but realized that these girls would probably become his first set of friends in his entire life. He glanced up at Serina, and she caught his subtle look and smiled faintly at him. He relaxed in the booth and leaned back into the cushion.


	3. Autumn Rain

**Chapter Three**

**Autumn Rain**

The rain beat heavily on the city of Tokyo. Dark clouds blanketed the sky on that Saturday morning. It was a cold and sad day throughout the city. Only a straggler or two would venture out onto the streets. Ami Mizuno stared out the window as the raindrops trickled down the glass. Her warm breath fogged the glass, and she glanced over the reflection of her face.

"Are you alright, Ami?"

The blue haired girl turned away from the window and looked across the table of the library. She faintly smiled to the boy across the table. "I'm fine." She looked back to her textbook. "Mitochondria?"

The boy thought for a moment. "The powerhouse of the cell."

"Yes, that's right." Ami didn't look up from her textbook and sighed deeply. She only glanced back to the window.

The boy saw something was wrong, but he didn't say anything. He looked back down to his textbook and glanced over the pages. Ami looked back over at the boy as he scanned the words on the page. He was a cute boy—sandy brown hair and light blue eyes. They had known each other for about a year now, and they both were studying to go to medical school. They seemed so perfect for each other except the fact that he never had asked her out on an official date yet. It was always an invitation to study or he'd happen to drop by wherever she was at; never a formal invitation. She pressed her fist into her cheek and stared at the boy. She figured he'd ask her to be his girlfriend any day now. Everyone thought they made the perfect couple: they both loved to read and study, were extremely intelligent, and both wanted to be a doctor when they finished school. She sighed again. Yes, it seemed so perfect.

Shoji flipped through the pages. "So do you think you're ready for the test?"

Ami kept pondering.

"Ami?"

Ami shook her head out of her daze. "Yes, I think so."

Shoji closed his book. "Do you want to move onto Chemistry?"

Ami closed her Biology book. "Yes, I think that's a good idea." She reached over into her school bag and grabbed her Chemistry book then glanced back over at Shoji.

* * *

Raye paced up and down the deck of the Cherry Hill Temple. Occasionally she would stretch out her hand and reach into the rain. She would gently let the raindrops roll around her palm as she caught them. She looked up into the dark skies and sighed. "Trouble is brewing, but what is it?" She thought to herself. She pulled her hand back to her side and watched her breath as she exhaled. She continued down the deck to the fire room. Perhaps the fire would give her some answers. She walked up to the door then paused before sliding it open. She pressed her ear against the door and listened. Someone else was in the fire room. Recognizing the voice, she opened the door slowly and peered into the room. Kyoji was kneeled in front of the fire with his eyes closed. He chanted faintly, almost too quietly for Raye to hear. Astonished, she opened the door a little bit more to hear. She stood there for a few minutes completely confused that Kyoji would be chanting in front of the fire. "Who is this guy?" She pondered to herself. "I don't like this one bit." Kyoji stopped chanting and sat silently with his eyes closed for a few moments. Raye stared harder into the dark room trying to see into the fire.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Raye-san?" Kyoji faintly spoke without opening his eyes.

Raye quickly jerked her head back and shut the door. She stormed down the deck back to her bedroom in anger. "How dare he!" She fumed to herself. "I can't believe him!" She stopped in front of her bedroom door and looked back down the deck towards the fire room. "I wonder what he's doing." She pondered for a moment. "He must have just been praying. There's no way he…" She shook her head. "Yes, just praying." She opened the door to her bedroom and stepped in.

* * *

Leta walked down the streets of Tokyo while holding an umbrella over her head to keep dry. She stopped at a newspaper stall and picked up today's issue of the Japan Times. Suddenly lightening flashed in the grey sky. She looked over in the direction of the flashing light. The thunder shook the ground.

"That was a close one!" The newspaper salesman said.

Leta looked back at the man. "Yeah, it was." She glanced back at the grey sky. Lightning struck again and again repeatedly. It was strange to see so much lightening. Leta dismissed her thoughts and headed back to her apartment as fast as she could. As she hurried down the street, a gust of wind came up and flipped her umbrella inside out. Frustrated, she tossed the umbrella in the nearest alley and used her newspaper to cover her. She started running down the street towards her apartment. As she was running, she passed two blonde girls huddling under an umbrella.

"Serina? Mina?"

The two blonde Sailors turned around at the sound of Leta's voice and welcomed their friend under the umbrella.

"Come on! Let's go to my place." Leta said.

"That's where we were heading! This rain is terrible," Mina said.

* * *

The raven haired Miko slept hard as the rain pounded on the roof. She fell asleep after lunch and rest a couple of hours into the late afternoon. Her head sunk deeper into her pillows. Her lips started faintly mumbling something as her hand gently raised off the bed. Her eyes squinted tightly as she called out louder. "Wait, wait…"

The garden was hazy and foggy. She could barely see through the mist as she cautiously ran. Looking up, she saw the earth high in the sky and only a few stars. She kept running as fast as she could, occasionally slipping on the dew or tripping over a stature. "Wait! Wait! Please!"

After running through the hedge maze, she came to a clearing in the middle of the garden. Raye glanced around only hearing the sound of water trickling from a large fountain in the center. Some of the fog cleared, letting her see a dark figure standing by the fountain. "Please, tell me who you are." She stepped forward walking over to the fountain. The dream was so hazy and the scenery so foggy that all she could see was the dark figure advancing towards her. She shuttered from the chill of the fog, but was soon wrapped in the arms of the dark figure. She glanced up only to see a chin and nose, but she soon closed her eyes as the dark figure kissed her. After the kiss, she rested her head against the dark figure's chest.

She didn't know why, but she blurted out a strange phrase. Not one she used very often. "I love you." She didn't know why she said and did these things in the dreams. It was like she had control, but she didn't all at the same time. Why in the world did she trust this stranger? She didn't know, but for the few seconds in her dreams, it felt so good.

Lighting struck again. It was so close that the foundations of the Cherry Hill Temple shook violently. Raye jumped up from her bed fully awake. As her heart pounded, she looked around the dark bedroom then looked to the clock. It was almost four in the afternoon. She crawled out of bed and stepped outside unto the deck. It was still raining heavily and the skies were darker. She sat down on the deck and dangled her feet over the edge. Leaning her head against one of the support beams, tears started to leak from her eyes. The tears rolled down her face along with the spattering raindrops. She closed her eyes as the tears flowed freely down her face. She decided that she didn't want to sit and just cry. She got up and walked out into the courtyard. She walked around aimlessly in the rain feeling so cold and numb inside.

Lightning flashed again. Another thunderous roar echoed through the temple and shook the buildings. Another flash and another flash lit the sky. Raye looked forward. "What in the world?"

* * *

"More tea?" Leta offered to her guests.

Serina nodded while chewing on a cookie. She lifted her tea cup as Leta poured more tea into the cup. Mina shook her head and leaned back into the couch. After she finished pouring, Leta sat down on the couch next to Mina and took a sip of her own tea.

"So have you seen the new Starfighter Galaxy 2000 movie?" Mina asked to Leta.

Leta swallowed her tea while shaking her head. "No, but I heard it was really good."

"You guys wanna go tomorrow?" Serina asked. "Darien has to work, so it would be a great time just to hang out with the girls."

"How come you only have time for us when Darien is busy?" Mina asked, grabbing another cookie.

"Oh, whatever, Mina! You'd do the same thing if you had a boyfriend!" Leta said.

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "That's beside the point!"

Leta started to take another drink, but she dropped the cup suddenly at the sound of loud thunder. Mina jumped immediately to her feet while Serina grabbed her head in pain.

"Something's wrong!" Mina exclaimed.

Serina squinted her eyes in deep pain. "It's Raye! She's in trouble! We have to go now!"

* * *

Raye looked forward. Every fiber in her being tingled with fear and alarm. She was extremely sensitive to sensing the presence of evil, but this time, her senses screamed at her. She glanced back behind her. She no longer kept her Sailor transformation stick in her clothing; it had been buried in a box deep in the closet for almost three years now. She looked forward again.

It was a youma. Its body was mostly black with pieces of scrap metal sticking out of it and eyes with an evil red glow stared the raven-haired girl down. Long blades pierced from out the black skin of the hands of this beast. It was hideous and almost horrifying to look at.

Raye glanced back to her room again. She had to get her transformation stick. Keeping her eyes on the Youma, she slowly took one step backward with her right foot then suddenly started to turn around to make a dash for it.

Raye screamed. Before she could even turn around, one of the blades ran through her shoulder. It was the most terrible pain she had ever experienced, but yet at the same time, she didn't understand what had happened. Her mind was still thinking she was turning to run, but her body was collapsing from the pain. After a split second, she glanced up to see the devilish Youma holding the blade into her. The Youma pulled its arm back, and the blade came out of Raye. Her body started to sink to the ground, but before it did, the Youma's kneed Raye in the stomach.

Her upper body flew forward as the knee flew into her stomach. She completely lost her breath for a second and only regained it from the blood that she had to cough up. As she stood doubled over in pain, the fists of the Youma slammed into her back. It felt as if every bone in her spine cracked and rearranged. She fell to the ground with a loud moan and collapsed at the Youma's feet. Within only a minute's time, Raye was completely defeated and almost dead.

The Youma bent over and grabbed a handful of Raye's hair. The Youma lifted Raye up off the ground; she screamed in pain as blood and tears streamed heavily down her face. "You will die!" The Youma spoke with a rough and sinister voice.

"Then…then…j…ju…just kill me," Raye managed to utter.

"That would be too easy, and not very fun."

"PUT HER DOWN!"

The Youma turned around still holding Raye by the hair. He looked across the courtyard to see four girls standing in a line with their hands on their hips and angry faces.

"I SAID 'PUT HER DOWN', YOUMA!" The leader of the Sailor Scouts screamed, facing turning red with anger.

The Youma laughed. It was a hollow metal laugh that made one's nerves freeze in horror and fear. The Youma flung Raye by the hair towards the Sailor Scouts. Raye only flew a few feet then hit the ground hard. Her body rolled a couple of times then landed on her side facing the Sailor Scouts.

Enraged, Sailor Jupiter saw Raye's bloody face and called upon one of her attacks. "SURPREME THUNDER!" The attack was one of the most powerful Sailor Jupiter had every called upon. So much rage and passion fueled this attack, and it was aimed straight at the dark Youma.

Still laughing, the Youma waited patiently for the energy attack to reach him. Once it was near, the Youma punched the ball of energy and sent it flying back towards Sailor Jupiter. The massive energy ball flew straight into Sailor Jupiter, and it exploded in her face, throwing her back against a tree. Her head flew back violently and smacked into the tree. Once the energy ball dissipated, Sailor Jupiter's body slid down the tree and fell to the ground.

Sailor Jupiter opened her eyes. Tears of pain blurred her vision. Her neck froze. She couldn't move it nor could she get up from the ground at that moment. Dizzy and disoriented, she fell over and passed out.

"Sailor Scouts, three team formation, now!" Sailor Moon exclaimed as she stepped forward. Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury nodded and stood behind Sailor Moon making a "V" formation.

"And I'll join you!" Tuxedo Mask came up behind the Sailor Scouts from running up the stairs of Cherry Hill Temple.

"Glad you're here, Tuxedo Mask," Sailor Moon said. "We need to punish this Youma!"

"Right!" Tuxedo Mask nodded.

"IN THE NAME OF THE MOON!" Sailor Moon started running forward to lead the attack. Tuxedo Mask followed directly behind Sailor Moon while Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury were at the sides of the formation.

"MOON…SPIRIAL…HEART…" Sailor Moon started to scream out her attack while still running. Suddenly, Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury stopped and started forming their attacks.

"SHINING AQUA REFLECTION!"

"VENUS METEOR SHOWER!"

As Sailor Mercury and Sailor Venus shot off their energy attacks, they curved the trajectory of the attacks so the energy would hit the Youma on both sides. Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon were still charging toward the Youma. Tuxedo Mask leapt up in the air and threw three roses at the Youma. The tips of the roses stuck into the rough black skin of the Youma.

"…ATTACK!" Sailor Moon finished screaming.

While the Youma was distracted with the rose attack, three energy attacks hit simultaneously. Sailor Venus' came in on the left, Sailor Mercury's hit on the right, and Sailor Moon's came from the front. The three great attacks exploded together leaving huge clouds of smoke and dust. The Sailors stood in silence for a moment but breathed a wonderful sigh of relief. That is, until they heard the hollow cackling of the Youma again.

The smoke and dust cleared, leaving an unaffected creature standing before them. Sailor Moon looked up in terror as the creature towered before her.

"What…what…are you?" Sailor Moon trembled.

"Your worst nightmare!" The Youma slashed his blade at Sailor Moon and caught her in the arm. The wound was deep and instantly started to gush blood. In her defense, Tuxedo Mask leapt forward and slammed down his cane on the Youma. The cane cracked when hitting the hard metal body of the Youma. The Youma slammed his fist into Tuxedo Mask's head, and the caped warrior flew off to the side like a rag doll. Suddenly, Sailor Mercury and Venus were flying through the air, each with a leg extended to kick. The Youma grabbed a hold of each leg and threw them off to the sides. They both hit the ground hard but quickly scrambled to their feet only to be met by a ball of dark energy.

The dark energy hit the two Sailors then surrounded them in a bubble. The dark bubble grew bigger and bigger and then engulfed the wounded Tuxedo Mask. Soon, it captured Sailor Moon too. The Youma stood laughing, and when she thought the Youma was distracted, Sailor Jupiter came running up with one last attack. She was swatted off by the strong arm of the Youma, and she flew straight into the dark bubble. Only a wounded and bleeding, Raye Hino, lay stranded on the ground.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH HER?" screamed Sailor Moon, tears gushing out her eyes. "SHE'S INNOCENT!"

The Youma slowly turned its head towards the dark bubble. "She is anything but innocent! She must be destroyed!" The Youma turned away from the Sailor Scouts and started walking towards the lifeless body. The Youma stopped once it stood in front of Raye. It raised its right arm high, ready to swing down the blade on Raye's body.

"PLEASE! DON'T! AHHHHH! PLEASE!" Sailor Moon screamed and moaned with the others screaming similar things behind her.

The Youma's arm swung down. Everyone shut his or her eyes, but opened them quickly at the sound of twanging metal. The Sailor Scouts looked at the Youma to see a broken blade on the Youma's arm, and the broken piece lying on the ground. They then looked past the Youma and Raye's body and gasped.

"WHO ARE YOU?" The Youma growled loudly.

"What does it matter? Do you need my name where I'm going to send you?"

Tuxedo Mask stepped forward and blinked. "Am I just seeing things or does that guy look like me?"

The Sailors eyes were stunned. There was another Tuxedo Mask! This one was a little different, but it looked almost exactly like Tuxedo Mask. This one didn't have a hat or a cape, but otherwise, it was the same outfit.

"Look!" Sailor Venus exclaimed. "He has a sword!"

"Not just a sword! A katana!" Sailor Mercury added.

Standing before the Youma was a warrior dressed in a Tuxedo just like Tuxedo Mask. Again, there was no hat or cape, but the Tuxedo was the same. Instead of a cane as a weapon, this warrior wielded a katana. While Sailor Jupiter glanced around the ground, she saw a throwing star lying close to the broken blade of the Youma.

"He must have used that throwing star to break the Youma's blade!" Sailor Jupiter pointed to the star.

The Youma raised his right arm and looked at the broken blade. "No matter! I'll just use a jagged broken blade on her body! It will only cause her more pain!"

"I don't have time for this, Youma!" The Tuxedo warrior exclaimed.

Before the Sailor's could blink, the katana of the Tuxedo warrior was pierced through the Youma. Soon, in a black mist, the Youma disappeared completely out of sighed, and all that was left was the Tuxedo warrior standing with his sword. The dark bubble soon disappeared and the Sailors ran over to Raye's body.

Sailor Moon cradled Raye into her arms. Raye faintly opened her eyes to see the Sailor Scouts hovering over her. Blood still poured out of the corners of her mouth and more started to flow as she coughed. Raye's eyes started to roll backwards.

"SHE'S DYING!" Sailor Moon started to freak out. She looked around at her friends frantically then caught the face of the mysterious warrior standing a few feet away. She stared straight at him, not knowing if he was friend or foe. "CAN YOU HELP HER?" She asked, frantically. "CAN YOU HELP HER, PLEASE!"

The mysterious warrior started moving towards the group. The other Sailors, and especially Tuxedo Mask, were extremely skeptical, but Sailor Moon didn't care that moment. They studied the warrior's face and body once he came closer. His identity was concealed by a mask just like Tuxedo Mask's, but his hair was blonde and wild, his body was fit and strong, and most noticeably of all, there was a crescent moon symbol on his forehead just like Serina's. Sailor Moon gaped at the symbol on the stranger's head as he approached.

"Please, stand back for a moment." The mysterious warrior kneeled down next to Raye and took her body out of Sailor Moon's arms and into his. He placed his hand over Raye's stomach and closed his eyes. Soon, the crescent symbol on his forehead started to glow. A white shimmer of light started to hover over Raye's body. The wound through Raye's shoulder started to close up, but it stopped and closed no more. After a few moments, the mysterious warrior took his hand off Raye's stomach and his symbol stopped glowing.

The Sailors looked frantic. "What's wrong? Can't you heal her?" Sailor Moon burst into tears. "What's wrong?"

"Need more contact," The mysterious warrior said, not making much sense to the Sailors. With Raye's body cradled into his arms, he tilted her head up and leaned down over her. He pressed his lips into hers and kissed her. Shocked, the Sailors watched as the warrior's symbol started to glow again and more shimmering light engulfed around Raye's body. Soon, the wounds started to close up completely, the blood dried up and disappeared, and after a few moments, a full restored body started to move. The body's arms gently slid up and wrapped around the mystery warrior's neck, and after a few moments she fluttered her eyes open to see herself kissing a complete stranger. The Tuxedo warrior pulled back and looked into Raye's face while she gazed into his for a moment. He then pulled her off his lap and set her to the ground. He stood up, and once he did, the other Sailors started tackling Raye with hugs.

While the Sailors rejoiced, the mysterious warrior slipped away and started walking away. While her friends were hugging her, Raye kept her eyes on the mysterious tuxedoed warrior.

"Wait a minute!" Sailor Jupiter cried out as she noticed the warrior trying to leave. "Who are you?"

The warrior turned around. "It doesn't matter."

Sailor Moon stepped forward. "You saved us! You saved our friend's life! Won't you tell us anything?"

"I will be here when you need me. That is all you need to know."

"How do we know we can trust you?" Tuxedo Mask blurted out, very suspicious about this warrior.

The warrior turned around again and started walking off.

"Wait!" Raye called out from the ground where she sat.

The warrior stopped and turned his head back just enough to catch a glimpse of Raye.

"Please, tell us your name."

The warrior stood still for a moment. "Tuxedo Samurai."

Raye stood up from off the ground. "Thank you for saving my life, Tuxedo Samurai."

The warrior, known as Tuxedo Samurai, gently nodded his head then continued to walk forward and eventually out of sight.

The Sailors stood still for a moment as they watched the mystery warrior leave, disappearing into the mist of pouring rain.

Sailor Mercury placed her hand on Raye's arm and started to tug her. "Come on, we better get you out of the rain."

Raye started off into the distance where Tuxedo Samurai disappeared but started to walk off with her friends. She looked forward towards her room, but kept looking back to where the masked man disappeared into the autumn rain.


	4. Mysteries

**Chapter Four**

**Mysteries**

The five Sailor Scouts sat on the floor of Raye's bedroom around the table. Their homework was sprawled out over the table, but they hadn't even gotten through five math problems within the hour. Except Ami, of course, who managed to finish them quickly while the Sailors were discussing business. This time, the two cats, guardians of the Sailor Scouts, were present.

"Maybe the Youma was the only enemy. Maybe we have nothing to worry about." Mina suggested.

"No, that doesn't make any sense." Leta shook her head. "That Youma couldn't have been the leader. What kind of leader does his own dirty work?"

"Or her own dirty work? We don't know that either. It could be a he or a she." Luna said. She was sitting in Serina's lap.

"Yes, we need to find out who sent the Youma and why, and then how to destroy it," Artemis commented while standing on the table.

"Yeah, but that thing was powerful!" Serina blabbered while crushing a cookie in her mouth. "More powerful than any enemy we've every faced before."

Ami was typing away at her computer, watching the video data from the battle that her computer picked up. She sighted deeply and rubbed her hand through her hair. "Serina is right. We are talking more powerful than ever before." She shook her head. "I think this is too much for us."

"It can't be!" Leta exclaimed. "There's nobody else to protect the universe! We have to find a way!"

Mina glanced over at Raye. The raven haired girl had her arms folded over her homework and her chin rested atop her arms.

Not paying attention, Raye shuffled a bit once Mina asked her something. "What…what did you say?" Raye snapped out of her daydream.

"I asked you what you thought."

"About what?" Raye asked.

Mina rolled her eyes. "Weren't you listening?"

"I…uh…" Raye stuttered, caught off guard.

"What were you thinking about? A boy?" Serina teased.

Raye started to blush a deep shade of red.

"Was it Ryotaru?" Mina asked.

Serina stood up with a wide grin on her face. "I bet it was Tuxedo Samurai!" Serina chirped.

"Oh, shut up!" Raye hissed, completely embarrassed.

The black cat crawled out of Serina's lap and stood up on the table with Artemis. "Yes, Raye, tell us about this Tuxedo Samurai. We haven't heard your side of the story."

Everyone looked at Raye, which embarrassed her greatly. She shifted in her seat to stall a bit. "Well, there really isn't much to say. I mean, I'm sure everyone's already said everything…"

"What was it like when he kissed you?" Serina interjected.

Turning even deeper red, the Sailor of Fire's cheeks set ablaze in embarrassment. Again, her voice stuttered and cracked as she tried to explain what happened without showing her feelings. While she was choking on her words, someone started knocking on the door. "I better get that, excuse me." Raye quickly scrambled up and headed towards the sliding door. She was relieved until she opened the door and saw who was behind it. "What do you want?" She snapped harshly.

Not looking up once, the blonde haired boy sat kneeling in front of Raye's door with a tray of many cups. "Raye-san, I overheard that you had company, and I thought you would like tea for your guests."

"Sounds like you were just trying to spy on us!" Raye snapped. "Why don't you just leave us alone and go home?"

"I have no home, Raye-san," Kyoji said, without looking up.

Raye bit her lip and sighed angrily. "Fine, just leave the tea and go away. I don't appreciate you eavesdropping on us!"

"As you wish, Raye-san." Kyoji got up off his knees and walked down the deck towards the other rooms of the house.

Raye picked up the tray of tea, closed the door, and set the tea on the table next to the cats.

"Who was that?" Artemis asked.

"That's Raye's fiancé!" Leta blurted then laughed.

"Shut up, Leta!" Raye hissed and threw a pillow at Leta.

"Geeze, why don't you lighten up?" Leta asked, offended. "You know, Kyoji was just being nice."

"You're getting married?" Luna and Artemis asked.

Simultaneously, Raye exclaimed "No!" while the other sailors blurted out "Yes."

"I am not marrying him!" Raye insisted.

Mina grabbed one of the cups of tea. "What's wrong with him? So what, he's a little shy! He's so awfully good-looking…"

"Mina, think about it! What if he was spying on us?" Raye interrupted. "Do you think it'd be a good idea if our identities got out?" Raye tossed her hands in the air. "What am I saying? They are already out! How in the world do you think that Youma knew to attack me and where I lived?"

The Sailors fell silent. Raye stopped and pondered for a moment. "Something isn't right. I don't trust that guy."

"Kyoji is perfectly harmless!" Serina laughed.

"You don't know that!" Raye snapped. "I say we keep a careful watch on that guy. Things are not making sense here."

"That's ridiculous!" Serina rolled her eyes.

"She does have a point, Serina. How did that Youma know to attack Raye when she wasn't in Sailor uniform?" Ami sighed. "As much as I hate to say it, we have to be cautious towards everyone—even Kyoji."

Serina sighed. "I just don't think it's him. I can't imagine him having an evil bone in his body."

"Well, I guess we better just keep a close eye on him." Luna said. "We never know when it comes to the Negaverse."

* * *

It was a cold and forsaken realm—always cold, dark, empty, and lonely. Miles of ice carved tunnels and chambers was all the realm seems to be composed of. There was no green grass or any sort of plants—only rock and ice. Within this realm was the Great Throne Room. It was the largest of the chambers carved out of this cave-like realm. There the Great Queen sat. She was sickly and weak, but growing in strength and power. When the world thought she was long gone and dead, she sat quietly in the outer-realms of the Negaverse gaining her strength. With the help of her two daughters, Morganite and Amethyst, Queen Beryl had been revived.

The sickly Queen sat slumped in her throne, but nevertheless, her sour personality and attitude remained the same. Finding some strength, the Queen rose from her throne and walked to the middle of the chamber. In the floor was a pool of misty water. The opal colored liquid swirled and turned all on its own creating a frothy mist that hovered above the waters. The Queen starred down into the waters at her murky reflection. Soon, other reflections appeared into the water. The Queen didn't bother to glance up as others crowded around her.

"The water has shown us many things, but many things are still unclear, my Queen. Who exactly are we looking for?"

The old Queen finally glanced up. In her presence, four new generals, and her two daughters stood. There was Azariah, the General of Fire. Her skin was tanned and her hair a fierce red. Her eyes glowed like orange embers, and her personality was just as fiery. Behind Azariah was Kanejiro. He appeared to be more ghostly and possessed rather than a living being. He was a human, but his glowing red eyes clearly revealed that he was possessed by something unnatural. This was Queen Beryl's General of Metal. On the other side of the pool stood Kaiba. His hair was dark blue and his eyes like ice. He was a quiet man who kept to himself mostly, but was known for having a temper. He was the General of Ice. Finally, there was Alexandrite. She was the General of Wind. Her hair was blue with green and purple streaks.

There were two other women. One had light purple hair with dark purple eyes while the other had bright pink cotton candy hair and red eyes. The purple haired woman was Amethyst and the pink haired woman was Morganite. They were twin sisters born from Beryl many thousands of years ago. In fact, many of the Generals were just as old. The realm they were in was outside the normal realm of time and space. The Negaverse was a place of outcast and abandonment. It was only here that Beryl could hide and regain her strength. With the help of her two daughters, she was growing stronger than she ever could have imagined.

"My Queen, if you don't mind telling us, what exactly are we looking for?" Alexandrite asked again.

The Queen shook her head away from her distracting thoughts. She waved her hand over the murky pool water. The entire pond turned into one big picture. Clear pictures of the city of Tokyo started to appear in the water. In the pictures, the modern day city started evolving into Crystal Tokyo right before their eyes. "I have seen into the future. Crystal Tokyo is going to be born soon." Beryl paused and glanced over the pictures. "This could mean the end of the Negaverse as we know it if Crystal Tokyo is birthed into reality."

"How do we stop it?" Azariah asked.

The old Queen waved her hand over the waters again. "There are many concerns we need to deal with if we are to be victorious." Pictures of the past started to appear in the waters. There was a young man walking through the hallways of the Moon Kingdom Palace with Queen Serenity. "There is another heir to the throne of the Moon Kingdom. Princess Serina is not the only one."

"What do you mean?" Amethyst questioned. "Queen Serenity only had one child, the Princess Serina."

"Yes, quite true, but you forget her nephew, the Prince."

"She had a nephew?" Morganite looked puzzled.

"Yes, he was the son of Serenity's younger sister, Princess Charity. His parents were killed when he was a boy, and Princes Serenity adopted him as her own child." Beryl pondered for a moment. "He was the Prince of the Moon Kingdom and General of the Moon Kingdom's Armies. This is the one I want. He holds the key to our success."

"Why?" The daughters both asked.

Slightly annoyed with the questions, Beryl rolled her eyes. "The Moon Kingdom Prince has royal blood. He is eligible to sit on the throne and rule Crystal Tokyo."

"So?" Morganite asked.

Queen Beryl rolled her eyes.

"So if he's on our side…" Kaiba, the Ice General piped in.

"Exactly," Queen Beryl nodded. She looked back to the waters. "We need to find the Moon Kingdom Prince. That is why I have the Generals. They are to find this boy and bring him to me."

The two daughters nodded along with the four generals.

Beryl gazed deeply into the water. Unlike everyone else, she could see past the murky haze deep down into the water. Sitting at the bottom was a silver staff with a red garnet. The red garnet jewel started to glow, but only Queen Beryl could see it. As she started at the silver key-shaped staff, she grinned deeply. She dismissed the Generals and her daughters, leaving her completely alone in the cave chamber.

The old Queen walked away from the pool in the center of the room towards one of the icy cave walls. Near the back, was a small crevice that Queen Beryl started to walk through. It was like a small hallway with jagged rock and ice sticking out, but after a few moments, the small passageway led the Queen into a small room.

"Warm enough?" The Queen laughed, looking over to the wall.

Against the wall in the shadows was a figure chained to the wall. The figure's arms were chained above her head, and her feet chained to the ground. Her head hung low and body shivered furiously from the cold. The dark Queen walked over to the figure and placed her hand on the chin of the prisoner. "What's the matter, Sailor Pluto?"

"I am not Sailor Pluto anymore." The young woman managed to utter through her chattering teeth and weak voice.

"But you still possessed that staff, which by the way, is helping me formulate my domination so easily."

"You'll never succeed!" the prisoner exclaimed.

Queen Beryl shook her head, tilting the prisoner's head up into the light. Beryl glanced over the weak and famished face and the messy green hair that drooped in front of it. "Trista, is it? Is that what you been going by these days?" Beryl smirked then continued. "You see my dear, I am well on my way to defeating the Sailors as we speak with the help of your old trinket."

"I'll destroy you!" Trista spat.

Beryl shook her head. "I think you're forgetting some things here, Trista. Look who is chained like an animal to the wall." The dark Queen licked her lips then bared her fangs. "Remember that your husband is under my spell." The Queen's hand trailed from Trista's chin, down her shoulder and arm towards Trista's stomach. The evil Queen placed her hand on Trista's large belly. "You're in no condition to fight me. You're going to be a mommy."

Trista tried her hardest to squirm away from Beryl's touch. "If you harm my husband or me, I'll…"

"You'll what?" The dark Queen spat angrily while grabbing one of Trista's chains. She pulled it tighter, making the chains stretch Trista's arms.

Trista cried out in pain as the dark Queen watched. "If you do not submit to me, do not think I won't hesitate to kill your husband or even murder your unborn child!" The Queen gave one more jerk to the chains then quickly released them. Trista's body flung forward and dropped in a jerking motion which made her cry out in pain. The Queen quickly turned around and left the prisoner to herself.

As Trista's head hung low, she was forced to stare at her large stomach. She closed her eyes as heavy tears leaked out and fell onto her stomach. "Please, Kanejiro. Don't let her control you. Break the spell," She prayed faintly to herself.

It felt like so many years ago. She had left the Sailor Scouts after stopping time to save their lives. Surely, she thought she was to be executed for such an action, but surprisingly, through the mercy of the spirit of Queen Serenity talking to Chronos, the Guardian of Time, Trista was allowed to live; however, she was to be banished to the outer-world. It was a dark and forsaken world. She wandered around for so long—she wasn't even sure how long. Only occasionally would she run into another soul or two, but they were usually horrible people, sentenced to banishment in the outer-world. It was a cold and lonely existence. Wishing she was dead, she wandered aimlessly throughout this world until she met him. His name was Kanejiro. He wasn't evil, and he didn't deserve banishment. He was lost by falling into a realm door, and he couldn't find his way out. The two met and soon became lovers, and together they searched for a way out of the outer-world.

Despite the pain and suffering she was currently in, her memories almost made her smile. Nobody, herself included, thought she was the type to get married and have kids, but here she was, in what she considered the happiest time of her life, a wife and soon to be mother. She imagined what it would be like to tell the Outer Sailor Scouts the news. But her body shivered again, and the memories faded away into the darkness. The reality was that while Kanejiro and Trista searched for a gateway out of outer-world, Queen Beryl and her forces kidnapped them. They stole Trista's staff, and took over Kanejiro's mind. She closed her eyes again and prayed for help.

* * *

Late that afternoon, the four girls stepped out of Raye's bedroom to go back to their own homes for the night. The four girls sat down on the deck to put their shoes back on.

"Don't wait up for me. I have to restring my laces on my sneakers," Serina mumbled as she tried to undo the shoe strings.

Leta stood up with the other two girls. "Alright then. See you later, Serina."

Serina glanced up. "Yeah, bye!"

Ami, Mina, and Leta stepped down from the deck and walked down the stone sidewalk that cut through the courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard was a makeshift table set up. There were stacks of clay pots, bags of dirt, and nursery plants all over the workstation. Kyoji stood at the table quietly pruning a bonsai tree. He glanced over at the girls and made brief eye contact with the girls.

Mina faintly waved then turned her head away while Leta didn't even look at all. Ami slightly smiled but quickly turned her eyes back to the ground.

"We better just be careful," Leta whispered as the girls scurried away towards the exit of the temple.

Kyoji stared at the rushing girls for a moment then sighed. He continued back to his work. He wasn't a person who experienced many hobbies, but this was one of the things he grew up doing and learned to enjoy. Everyone thought he groomed bonsai into works of pure art, but he would always sigh and shrug off their compliments. He never believed he was any good, but people who visited the Tsukiyama Shrine would always ask to purchase his masterpieces. Today, however, he merely worked on his craft alone and solely for the purpose of beautifying the Cherry Hill Temple.

"Hello Serina-san."

Serina stepped forward from behind him and took a place on his left side. "How did you know it was me?"

"Your footsteps, for one." Kyoji kept trimming the tree. "And I saw the other three leave, and I highly doubt Raye-san…" He trailed off.

"I'm really sorry Raye yelled at you earlier. She's just under a lot of stress right now."

Kyoji stopped trimming the tree and put his hands down on the table. "What do you think?" He asked, referring to the tree.

"It's beautiful."

"Be honest."

Serina looked at the tree again. "It really is beautiful, but…" She paused for a moment. "…maybe you could fix this branch a little bit?" She lightly touched one of the branches and lifted it up.

Kyoji looked over at her and smiled. It was such a rare thing from him that Serina smiled herself. "I couldn't agree more," Kyoji said while picking the trimmers back up. "Perhaps, you'd like to trim one yourself?"

Serina shook her head. "I haven't done this since the third grade. It was so ugly I don't even think my mother wanted to keep it."

"That was then, this is now." Kyoji kept trimming.

Serina finally nodded. "Alright." She grabbed one of the trees that was ready to be trimmed and took the trimmers in her hand. "So where did you learn how to do this?"

"Tsukiyama Shrine."

"What else did you do there?"

"Chores."

"That's it?"

"Yes." Kyoji started to pick up his pace of trimming. "Chores, school, and martial arts."

"Now that you're in Tokyo, is there anything new you want to try?" Serina stopped trimming and looked over at Kyoji.

Kyoji completely stopped. He rested his hands on the table and pondered deeply for a moment. Serina stood in silence as she could tell that Kyoji's mind was turning and stirring. "I'd like to learn to play guitar someday."

"Guitar? That's great. I love to hear guitar music." Serina picked up her trimmers again. "What makes you want to learn guitar?"

Kyoji shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Just because, I guess." He started trimming on the tree again.

The two of them continued trimming on their trees and lightly chatting for the rest of the afternoon.


	5. Just Another School Day

**Chapter Five**

**Just Another School Day**

It was so simple and ingenious that she couldn't believe that her own daughters thought of it. She chuckled. So many times she just wanted to vaporize those two dimwits because they annoyed her so greatly; however, for once in their lives, they proved to be useful. She clasped the black stone tightly. It was an unusually dark crystal and it radiated a darkish aura. This stone was Beryl's salvation for it gave the keeper great power. This special and unusual stone collected dark energy from the evil of men. All Beryl had to do was wait patiently as men committed atrocities all over the Earth; their actions fed the stone with anger, rage, malice, and the spirit of every kind of evil imaginable, and Beryl profited from it. How her daughters ever thought of such a brilliant idea, she'd never know, but it was going to restore her to her former glory and even beyond.

"You wanted to see me, highness?" Kaiba stepped before the throne.

The dark Queen tucked her black crystal away. "I want you to go to Earth to complete a mission."

Kaiba looked up. "Yes, your majesty."

The Queen sighted. "The future is foggy. Unfortunately, we are going to have to perform some trial and error for a while."

"What are you saying?"

Beryl stood up and stepped down from her throne. She walked up to Kaiba and put her arm on his shoulder. She guided him over to the pool in the middle of the throne room. "It is not clear who this Moon Kingdom Prince is, but it is critical that we find him. I am sending you to search for him."

"How in the world am I supposed to do that?"

The old Queen dug into one of the pockets in her robe and pulled out a whitish sparkly stone. "This is a rainbow moonstone. Use its powers when confronting a candidate that you think might be the Prince. It should draw out the Prince's powers and reveal his symbol on his forehead."

Kaiba took the stone into his palm and stared at it. "Sounds like I'm looking for a needle in a haystack…" He uttered, slightly annoyed with the illogical approach.

"I understand your frustration, but imagine mine. The one key to finally controlling the universe is so close. This is a critical moment in time. We have to find the Moon Prince otherwise Crystal Tokyo will be birthed into existence with Princess Serenity on the throne. I will not let her claim what is mine!"

Kaiba nodded. "As you wish, my Queen."

"Good. I will be sending Azariah with you."

"What?" Kaiba spat. "Why?"

The Queen looked over, giving Kaiba a look of disgust for questioning her authority. "Because you'll be occupied with the Moon Prince."

"What can she do that I can't?" Kaiba asked, holding the frustration in his voice.

"She'll be busy dealing with Sailor Mars."

"Sailor Mars? What's so special about her?"

The Queen stared deeply into the water. "She is the key to our downfall."

"Why?"

The old Queen stared harder. "She will give birth to the one who will destroy me if she is not stopped now."

"You can see this far into the future?" Kaiba glanced at the water.

"Only partially—for the future is not written yet. I don't know when this will happen, how it will happen, or who this child is, but this child will destroy the Negaverse if we don't act with haste."

"I understand, my Queen." Kaiba looked away from the water back to the Queen. "I shall prepare to go to Earth."

"Good. Azariah should be here any moment."

Kaiba cringed. He then turned his thoughts away from his distaste towards the other General. "What of this masked warrior—Tuxedo Samurai, I believe they called him."

Beryl looked over at Kaiba. "Kill him."

"Who is he?"

"Doesn't matter, kill him." Beryl said flatly.

"Yes, Majesty."

The red haired general walked into the room. A fiery aura surrounded the young general as she stormed into the chamber.

"What is wrong with you, Azariah?" The old Queen asked.

"That stupid Alexandrite…" She started to mumble and pout. "…she lost my hairpins. How am I supposed to go into battle with my bangs in my eyes?"

"By the way you fight, I always thought you had your hair in your eyes…" Kaiba uttered.

"Shut up!" The Fire General hissed.

The Queen pulled a bobby-pin out of her hair and gave it to Azariah. The Fire General with bright red hair pinned back her bangs. "Thank you, your majesty." She smiled to the Queen then shot a dirty look at Kaiba.

"I am going to retire to my chambers. You two head to Earth and remember what I told you."

"Yes, your majesty." The two Generals said concurrently.

The Queen walked out of the chambers leaving the two Generals alone in the chamber. The young Fire General slightly pranced around the Ice General, who stood very still, then she wrapped her arms around his neck. She placed a kiss on the Ice General's cheek.

The kiss felt like a hot fire on his cheek, but still, his insides felt cold. He always felt cold. Her touch felt like fire on his skin, but his soul always felt so cold and dark. Her hands started slowly wandering down his shoulders and over his chest.

"Why do you have to be so mean to me?" She said playfully with her lips against his cheek, her hands still wandering over his chest.

"Leave me alone, Azariah." Kaiba sternly said.

"What's the matter, Kaiba? Am I bothering you?" Her lips started gliding over his neck.

Suddenly, Kaiba grabbed Azariah's wrists, which made her shriek in surprise, and threw her to the ground. She landed on her backside then suddenly felt the weight of the Ice General over of her. She panted heavily with a seductive grin, her face only inches away from the other general, and she stared into his bright blue eyes.

He stared at her burning orange eyes while panting. After a few seconds, he crawled off her and stood up. "You're a child." He turned around and started to walk away.

Azariah propped her upper-body up with her arms and watched him as he started to leave. She laughed—it was a cruel laugh. "You weren't worried about that when I came to your room."

Kaiba stopped walking. "It was nothing but a mistake." He continued walking after he spoke.

Azariah vaporized from her spot on the floor and appeared in front of Kaiba. He stopped walking and glared at her in annoyance. She wrapped her arms around the Ice General again, this time from the front. She wrapped her arms tightly, leaving onto inches between their faces.

"I may look like a teenager, but you know I'm a woman." She kissed him, pressing her lips deeply against his. Kaiba immediately pushed the Fire General away. "You act like a child, Azariah." He brushed her off to his side and continued walking. "Gather what you want to take to Earth then meet me at the portal in five minutes." Kaiba walked out of sight.

Azariah stared at the exit where Kaiba left while squeezing her fists tightly. The fiery aura engulfed her body as rage surged through her veins. She stomped her foot into the ground, cracking the marble floor in the process. "I can't believe him! I'll show him!"

* * *

Serina walked down the sidewalk, almost reaching the entrance of Matsumura High School. It was a strange day—she was early. It was only because she messed up her alarm clock the night before and set it an hour early. With the extra hour, Serina wound up being right on time for everything this morning.

"Serina!"

The blonde girl turned around at the sound of her name. She recognized the voice, but it was unusual. "Kyoji?"

Behind her was the blonde haired boy in his school uniform. He gripped the straps of his backpack tightly. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, thank you." She slightly bowed. "How are you?"

"Fine." He nodded. He walked up to her and entered into the school yard alongside of her.

She faintly smiled to herself. She had the shyest person she had ever met coming up to her and initiating conversation. When she met him, he barely spoke above a whisper, but now he would call out her name in public. She shifted her eyes forward as the two weaved through the crowd of students. Most of the students were congregated on the east side of the school yard.

"What's going on?" Serina asked.

Kyoji looked around too then pointed toward a circle of students. "There's where the action is."

The two of them pushed through the crowds. They found themselves looking over a football game of boys. Of course, the boy who dominated the game was Daitatsu Atsuji. With his quick and nimble feet, he dribbled the black and white football across the school yard. Just as he kicked the ball towards the goal, the school bell started to chime, but everyone cheered loudly as the ball when into the makeshift goal of two garbage cans. The students clapped and cheered loudly as Daitatsu threw his arms in the air.

Kyoji eyes followed the brown-haired boy's movements and actions. After Daitatsu finished running around with his arms in the air, he ran off to the sidelines and took Raye Hino into his embrace. Raye's left arm wrapped around Daitatsu's torso and Daitatsu's right arm went around Raye's neck. His left arm remained in the air victoriously. Serina glanced over at Kyoji. She watched him keep his eye on Daitatsu and Raye, but he was difficult to read. He didn't look sad, but he didn't look happy either. She wondered what it exactly was that he felt about things, but dismissed her thoughts as all the students started pouring into the school building.

High above, Kaiba stood on the rooftop of the school watching the scene unfold below. The Ice General pondered deeply for a moment while rubbing his chin. "This Daitatsu is fairly athletic. Perhaps he is the Moon Prince." Kaiba walked away from the edge of the roof and walked towards the doorway that led down into the building. Near the doorway, a male student sat lighting a cigarette. The student looked up in fear as Kaiba towered above him and jumped up.

"What do you want?" The student spat.

Kaiba punched the student, knocking the boy out cold. "Your uniform." After a few minutes, Kaiba stripped the uniform off the boy and put it on. He walked around the roof and tugged at the collar in frustration for being too tight. Kaiba shook his head and picked up the freshly lit cigarette and started smoking it. The uniform fit terribly. Despite the fact that he was a thousand years old, Kaiba's body aged to the physical age of twenty-four. He looked too grown-up and masculine for the boy's uniform, but it would have to do. He headed down the steps that lead from the roof into the hallway of the top floor. He quickly finished the cigarette and tossed it into the trash. Randomly, he picked a classroom and opened the door.

A male teacher was discussing the intricate details of mathematics when Kaiba stepped into the room. Annoyed, the teacher stood away from the chalkboard and crossed his hands across his chest. "Are you lost?"

"No," Kaiba slightly hissed, also annoyed.

"Then what are you doing here, young man?"

Kaiba stared the teacher straight in the eye without saying anything. Suddenly, the teacher's tone of voice and posture changed. "Please, take a seat young man," The teacher uttered in a monotone voice.

"Thank you," Kaiba picked the empty seat next to the door.

Ami Mizuno looked over at the stranger from her front seat by the window. She then glanced back to the teacher, who went back to doing math problems, but in a monotone drone voice. Her suspicions started to make her senses scream as she stared harder and harder at the strange boy. Boy? He didn't even look like a boy but rather a full-grown man. Kaiba glanced over at Ami, catching her staring at him. She looked away completely embarrassed.

Kaiba looked forward to the chalkboard, but kept Ami in his peripheral vision. "Is she onto me?" He wondered. He slightly shook his head. "No. She's just a mortal. She wouldn't know." He smirked. "She probably has one of those crushes…on me or something. Stupid mortals!"

* * *

Blue and white jerseys flashed up and down the soccer field. The Matsumura football team was finishing their last set of drills for the evening. The young men would run from the foul line to the center and back again at the command of the coach's whistle. Once the team was finished with its running, the team huddled up with the coach. They had a quick pep-talk then dispersed from practice. Most of the boys ran back towards the locker rooms, but Daitatsu headed for the benches on the field. His two friends, Izumi and Taro, followed behind him.

Izumi threw his arm around Daitatsu's neck. "Look at her, Daita! She follows you around like a dog!"

Daitatsu glanced high up into the stands. Sitting alone and working on her homework, Raye concentrated on her homework while watching the soccer team practice that afternoon. He waved when Raye glanced up and saw him looking at her. "You know, Yusuke said she had quite an attitude."

"Well, from what I knew, she did," Taro said, as he looked up at Raye. "She's always had this huge chip on her shoulder."

Daita rubbed his chin. "That's what I thought." He smirked. "Doesn't really matter. It just makes it easier for me to win the bet." He glanced up at Raye again, and she smiled as she was packing up her things. "She isn't tough at all. She's like putty in my hands."

"You're the man, Daita," Izumi said.

Daita smirked as he was being showered with praise. "You two beat it. I'm going to have to give her some extra sentiment if I want to get her to sleep with me before the semester is over."

Raye finished walking down the bleachers and came up to the three boys. "Hey, Daita," She smiled. "Izumi. Taro." She nodded to both of them.

"We better go." Taro started to walk back towards the school and Izumi followed him.

Daita reached out for Raye's hand, and she took it. He helped her step down from the benches. He pulled her alongside him and started walking around the field.

"How was practice?" Raye asked, not knowing quite what to ask.

"Fine." Daita nodded. "Scored a goal."

Raye nodded. "Yes, I saw that."

After walking a few meters, Daita stopped while still holding Raye's hand. "Raye, I was thinking...well, I mean, we've known each other for about three weeks now, and I…well, I was wondering if you'd be my girlfriend." He bit his lip.

Raye stood silent and pondered. Many thoughts, ideas, and feelings swirled through her mind in that moment. She gave a light sigh and looked up. "Yes, okay."

Daita smiled and gave a slight laugh. "You will! Good!" He glanced away and looked towards the school to hide a smirk from creeping on his lips.

Raye nodded and faintly smiled but said nothing.

"Hey, why don't I grab my stuff, and we go out for ice cream or something?"

"Yeah sure. That's sounds great," Raye said, flatly

Daita let go of Raye's hand and ran off across the field. As he was crossing the center of the field, a young man came into his view. The blue haired man stood in the middle of the field blocking Daita's pathway. While he was jogging, Daita stopped a few feet before the man and curiously glanced at the stranger.

"You're not allowed on the field if you're not on the football team!" Daita said, snidely.

The blue haired man's shoulders shrugged, as if laughing, but the man said nothing. He stood there quietly puffing on his cigarette. "I'm going to wipe your blood all over this field!" The man right hand raised and a blast of energy streamed out. The man pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and looked up. It was General Kaiba.

Raye saw the blast of energy out of the corner of her eye. Quickly, she ran behind the bleachers, hoping the strange man didn't see her, and pulled out her sailor pen.

"MARS STAR POWER!" It had been almost three years since she became Sailor Mars, but now, the Warrior of Fire was back in action and ready to defend truth and justice. After transformation, she paged the other Sailors then ran out onto the football field.

"Who…who…who are you?" Daita asked, barely able to move from the energy blow. As he was speaking, a dark energy surrounded him, and he was levitated into the air. "What…what…are you doing?"

"Nothing much. Just testing you." Kaiba took another puff of his cigarette and finished it. He flicked it off to the side then reached his hand into his pocket. With a new cigarette, he also pulled out the Moonstone that Queen Beryl gave him. He squeezed the stone, and it started to glow. A continuous beam of white light shot forth from the stone and entered into Daita's chest. The boy started to scream from the intense power that shook through his body. Soon, Daita's heart crystal floated out of his body, and passed out.

Kaiba looked at the crystal. It was a dull crystal that was tinted a brownish color. The Negaverse warrior snubbed his nose. "This isn't even useful. He's a terrible person. Look at his heart." Kaiba groaned. "What a waste of my time!" The stone stopped glowing. Daita's body fell to the ground while the heart crystal remained hovering above the body. Kaiba shook his head then placed the new cigarette in his mouth.

"NEED A LIGHT?"

Kaiba looked up then disappeared just before a fire attack would hit him. He then reappeared when he was standing earlier. He looked forward across the field to see the five Sailor Scouts standing ready for battle. "Should have known."

"Who are you, and what are you doing with that boy!" Sailor Moon shouted. "I am Sailor Moon, and I will protect the innocent in the name of the Moon!"

He was quite apathetic about the situation until he realized that the Sailor Scouts were so passionate about it. He stepped forward and cupped the murky colored heart crystal, and once he saw the reaction of the Sailor Scout's when he touched the heart crystal, things started to become a lot more fun. If he crushed the heart crystal, the boy would die. He knew that. It was just a basic fact. But, why did the Sailor Scouts care so much if this boy died. He didn't know, but he found it fun and interesting that they did.

"LET HIM GO!" Sailor Jupiter screamed.

Kaiba raised his hands in the air above his head. "Alright, I surrender."

The Sailors looked at each other.

"What'd he say?" Sailor Venus asked.

Sailor Jupiter's jaw dropped. "He said, 'I surrender.'"

"What do we do?" Sailor Moon questioned. "That's never happened before."

Kaiba smirked. He quickly flung his arms forward and a wave of energy flew from his hands. A wave of ice flew towards the Sailor Scouts, and once the energy cleared, the feet of the Sailor Scouts were frozen to the ground. He glanced over the Sailors and only saw four frozen. He then locked his eyes on the fifth Sailor and smirked. The blue Sailor Scout was running toward him as fast as she could.

"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!" Sailor Mercury screamed and shot a blast of water at General Kaiba. Sailor Mercury kept running forward as the waves of water were pushed forward with her. The waves crashed into Kaiba with full-force and after the attack cleared, Sailor Mercury stopped running just before she reached where Kaiba was standing.

Kaiba stood where he was at with a confused look on his face. His head and clothes were wet, as if a bucket of water was dumped on his head, but otherwise, the attack did virtually nothing to him, except get him a little wet. Sailor Mercury stood before him completely baffled that her attack did nothing.

"What was that?" Kaiba asked, wet cigarette in his mouth.

Sailor Mercury blushed. "I don't know."

Kaiba shook his head. "Well, it stunk!" He was so close to Sailor Mercury that he reached out his hand and touched her forehead with his index finger. Suddenly, the Sailor of Water was completely frozen in ice.

"Sailor Mercury!" The Sailors hollered.

Kaiba laughed as he glanced over the completely frozen Sailor Scout. He found her facial expression most amusing. In fact, he seemed to be in a sort of high spirit, that is, until a red haired girl appeared out of nowhere right next to him. He stopped laughing and rolled his eyes as the other General latched onto his arm.

"Started the party without me?" General Azariah batted her eyelashes.

"I don't need your help! I have everything under control!" Kaiba hissed.

"Not for long!"

General Kaiba and Azariah looked up. A dark warrior in a Tuxedo stood before them with his cane gripped between his two fists.

"Is that the one we're supposed to kill?" Azariah asked.

"Well, he's no bother to us, but we can kill him anyway." Kaiba said, flatly.

Azariah clapped her hands. "Can I do it?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "I guess."

"Yeah! Goodie!" Azariah clapped again and took a step forward. "It's a shame. He's kinda cute."

"You would think that, wouldn't you?" Kaiba teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Azariah raised her right hand and it started to glow a red orange color.

"Nothing," Kaiba said, exasperated.

A ring of fire shot out from Azariah's hand. The fire ring encircled Tuxedo Mask and squeezed tightly around his arms. While the fire did not burn Tuxedo Mask's flesh, it felt as though it were. The dark warrior screamed out frantically in pain as the rings produced the sensation of being burned. Azariah laughed playfully. "He's really cute when he's screaming."

"TUXEDO MASK!" Sailor Moon screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "PLEASE, STOP HURTING HIM! STOP IT! PLEASE! STOP!"

"Tell us where the Moon Prince is and we'll release him!" Kaiba hollered to the Sailors.

"Moon Prince?" The Sailors questioned among themselves.

"Give us the Moon Prince now!" Azariah yelled.

Sailor Moon cried harder. "We don't know what you're talking about? Who's the Moon Prince?"

"Hand him over now!" Azariah yelled again. "Or, I'll kill him!" She squeezed her fists, making the fire ring tighter around Darien. He screamed more while the rings squeezed his body and make his skin feel as if it were burning.

"NO! LEAVE HIM ALONE! PLEASE!" Sailor Moon cried.

The two Generals smirked. They had the Sailor Scouts just where they wanted them.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	6. The Planet Crystals

**Chapter Six**

**The Planet Crystals**

**Previously…**

"Tell us where the Moon Prince is, and we'll release him!" Kaiba hollered to the Sailors.

"Moon Prince?" The Sailors questioned among themselves.

"Give us the Moon Prince now!" Azariah yelled.

Sailor Moon cried harder. "We don't know what you're talking about? Who's the Moon Prince?"

"Hand him over now!" Azariah yelled again. "Or, I'll kill him!" She squeezed her fists, making the fire ring tighter around Darien. He screamed more while the rings squeezed his body and make his skin feel as if it were burning.

"NO! LEAVE HIM ALONE! PLEASE!" Sailor Moon cried.

The two Generals smirked. They had the Sailor Scouts just where they wanted them.

**Continuing…**

Tuxedo Mask screamed harder. The rings of fire squeezed his body so tightly that his clothing started to rip, and the rings dug into his skin causing blood to flow.

Kaiba shook his head. "Azariah, that screaming is annoying! Would you just cut it out and finish the job?"

"Oh, alright!" Azariah hissed. "What a shame. So cute." She clenched her fist tighter to make the rings tighter, but the fire started to dissipate. She looked up in confusion.

Another dark warrior stood amongst them. He held out his hand and the rings of fire started to move towards him and were slowly absorbed into his hand. Azariah glanced back and forth between the two Tuxedo warriors then looked at Kaiba. "Who's that?"

"I believe this one is Tuxedo Samurai."

Azariah playfully turned around and looked at Tuxedo Samurai. "It's about time I had a challenge!"

The dark warrior stood between the two Generals and the Sailor Scouts. Tuxedo Mask was collapsed on the ground trying to regain his strength. The other Tuxedo warrior looked to Tuxedo Mask. "Why don't you go free the girls?"

Tuxedo Mask rubbed his painful arms and sulkily picked up his cane. After a few seconds, he unhappily trotted over to the frozen Sailor Scouts. After all, it was always Tuxedo Mask who saved the day, not Tuxedo Samurai.

Tuxedo Samurai slowly reached for his katana and drew it out from the sheathe. He pointed it at the two Generals. "Leave now!"

Azariah stepped forward. "Make us!" She started running towards the dark warrior and formed a fireball in her hand. She threw it straight at Tuxedo Samurai, and he sliced it in half with his katana. She threw another, but he caught it in his hand.

"He has fire powers?" Azariah questioned. "Hmmm! I'll just have to show him!" She dug her feet into the ground and held her hands above her head. A huge fireball started to form above her head.

Tuxedo Samurai put his katana away and dug his feet into the ground. He stood their silently waiting for Azariah to finish the formation of her fireball.

Meanwhile, Tuxedo Mask chiseled the Sailor Scouts out from their frozen prison. Sailor Mars was already free after using her fire powers. She worked with Tuxedo Mask to free the other girls but noticed Sailor Mercury still frozen on the field. Sailor Mars ran over to where Sailor Mercury was frozen and started to unthaw her friend.

Seeing her opportunity, Azariah hurled her large fireball straight towards Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars. Quickly, Tuxedo Samurai ran over towards the two straggling Sailors and held his hands out in front of him. He caught the large fireball, but didn't have the strength to push it back quite yet. He glanced back at Sailor Mars. "Your Flame Shooter would be appropriate about now."

Sailor Mars nodded. "MARS FLAME SHOOTER!" The energy attack smashed into the large fireball and sent it flying back towards Azariah. She quickly disappeared and reappeared to miss the attack. An aura of bright flames appeared around her as her emotions flared in anger. "I'll get you!"

"Azariah!" Kaiba hissed. "The boy isn't the Prince! Just forget it!"

"Oh, alright!" Azariah rolled her eyes and disappeared. Kaiba disappeared shortly after her.

The baffled Sailor Scouts walked up to Raye, Tuxedo Samurai, and the frozen Sailor Mercury. Tuxedo Samurai extended his hand and used his powers of fire to thaw out the Sailor of water. Soon, she came back to life, but collapsed over into Sailor Mars' arms.

"Are you alright, Sailor Mercury?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just can't feel my legs quite yet."

Sailor Jupiter put her hands on her hips. "Yeah, my feet are still numb."

The dark warrior, Tuxedo Samurai, stood silently as he gazed off into the sunset. Sailor Mars glanced up at him, and she blushed a little. She was embarrassed, but someone needed to ask. "Tuxedo Samurai…" She uttered.

The Tuxedo warrior turned around and looked at her, giving her his full attention. She turned a darker shade of red as the warrior stared her down. "Who were those people?"

"The Negaverse," He said sternly.

The Sailors gasped.

The warrior pondered for a moment, thinking over his words. "I am not sure of everything, but the one thing I do know, Queen Beryl is alive."

"But…I…" Sailor Moon stepped forward. "…killed her."

"So you thought," Tuxedo Samurai sighed. "She is alive. I don't know how or why, but she is."

"What do they want? Why did they attack that boy?" Sailor Venus asked, motioning toward Daitatsu. "They said something about a Moon Prince—who is that?"

Tuxedo Samurai shook his head. "I don't know who the Moon Prince is exactly. Perhaps if you search your computer, Sailor Mercury, or search your HQ database, you will find the answers."

Tuxedo Mask folded his arms and scowled deeply. "And how is it that you know so much about our resources?"

Tuxedo Samurai glanced over at the other dark warrior. "I am only trying to help."

"And how do we know you're trustworthy?" Tuxedo Mask questioned.

"I suppose he does have a point," Sailor Jupiter chimed in.

"Fine. I will leave." Tuxedo Samurai turned around.

"No! Wait!" Sailor Mars exclaimed. Not even thinking, she reached out and grabbed Tuxedo Samurai by the arm and pulled him back. He turned around directly to look at her. She blushed furiously, but he only smiled and didn't pull his arm away.

"What is it?" He asked with a gentle and sweet voice.

"These people are obviously more powerful than us. What are we supposed to do if we want to defeat them?"

"Look for the Planet Crystals." He glanced over all the Sailors then turned around, pulling his arm away from Sailor Mars.

The Sailor Scouts watched the dark warrior walk off the field for a few moments then regained their attention to the situation. Serina and Darien split off to get some dinner. Ami and Leta decided to walk home together while Mina headed off to go shopping. But, Raye stayed back to make sure Daita was okay.

* * *

She glanced up to look at the beautiful earth. It was so clear that night. It was foggy that night on the Moon, but the sky was plum full of stars and the earth glowed brightly. Raye looked behind her. It was fairly dark in the gardens, but the light of the Moon Kingdom Palace shone in the distance. She thought she was alone as she sat on the edge of the fountain gently running her fingertips over the water, but strong arms wrapped around her shoulders.

His cheek pressed against her cheek, and her arms reached up to grab a hold of his. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply in contentment. She knew his touch. After a few moments, his arms shifted as he sat down next to her, but he still kept his left arm around her. Her right arm went across his back, and she slowly caressed her hand up and down his back.

"I love you," The man whispered to her.

"I love you too." She faintly smiled. "Hold me."

"But I already am." The man said, slightly confused.

"Forever." She uttered.

The man grinned. He reached his right arm over and took her into a tight embrace. "I could never let you go." He gave her a gentle squeeze then traced his hand up her arm. His fingers gently grazed over her neck then eventually rested at her chin. He positioned her chin then kissed her sweet lips.

The warm sunlight hit her face and rudely awakened her. Raye squinted her eyes from the bright sun and raised her hand to shield herself. She sat up, somewhat frustrated, from her bed. "I just had to wake up during the best part!" She thought. She pondered silently for a few moments before getting out of bed.

Every time the dreams seemed more real. She groaned as she covered her face with her hands. "Why in the world do I keep having fantasies about Tuxedo Mask—wait a minute!" She stopped her thoughts. "What if the dark warrior in my dreams isn't Tuxedo Mask?" Her heart skipped a beat. "What if it's Tuxedo Samurai?"

She quickly jumped out of bed as her heart started to race with excitement. Maybe it wasn't just suppressed feelings for Darien. Maybe it wasn't such an impossible thing anymore. Maybe it was just like Darien and Serina; Tuxedo Mask was destined to be with Princess Serina so maybe Tuxedo Samurai was supposed to be with her. Not even changing from her pajamas, she headed out of her bedroom towards the Fire Room. Perhaps this new revelation could be confirmed by prayer. While she stormed down the deck, one of the doors opened up, and Kyoji stepped out. He glanced up at Raye, and she stopped since he was blocking her path.

"Would you get out of my way?" She hissed.

The young Priest, dressed his white and blue uniform, stood silent turning deeper shades of red by the second.

Raye glanced down at her pajamas—a skimpy tank-top and a very short pair of shorts. She placed her hand over her chest to cover herself a little, but mainly ignored him and continued down the deck. She only managed to walk a few more feet before her grandfather hollered for her. She rolled her eyes and stepped into the house. He had called from the kitchen so she headed in there with her arms folded over her stomach.

"There's a phone call for you," Grandfather said, while drinking a cup of tea and looking over the newspaper.

Raye picked up the phone. It was Daita. She chatted with him for a few minutes trying to make plans for their date tomorrow afternoon.

Kyoji stepped back into the kitchen, but stared at the floor while still glowing red. Raye hung up the telephone but lingered at the counter for a few moments. Grandpa glanced over at Raye then elbowed Kyoji in the side when the boy walked by. "My Raye is quite the looker, isn't she?"

Raye spun around furiously to look at her grandfather while Kyoji completely froze in embarrassment.

"You should thank me, Kyoji! She'll be your wife someday!"

"Excuse me!" Raye spat. "I just got off the phone with my boyfriend!"

"What are you wasting time with that block-head for? I got you a man right here! Why you could be married and making babies by now if you'd stop wasting your time!" Grandpa laughed.

Kyoji closed his eyes in humiliation. "Master, please."

"Grandpa!" Raye hissed. "I've had enough of this!" Raye stormed out of the kitchen.

Raye's Grandfather looked back to his newspaper while Kyoji opened the refrigerator. Kyoji stood with the door wide open for a few moments to feel the cool air against his hot embarrassed face. He dug around and grabbed a pitcher of orange juice.

"Boy, I want you and Raye to scrub the deck today." Grandpa asked without looking up from his paper.

Kyoji pulled his head out of the refrigerator. "You mean her and me together?

"Yes." Grandpa took a slip of his tea.

"If you haven't noticed, Master, she hates me."

"Well, she has chores to do. After breakfast, go and get her then scrub the floors."

"Yes, Master."

* * *

It was a lovely day in the park as the two lovers strolled down the winding cobblestone pathways. His arm was around her shoulder and hers around his waist. With his left hand, he carried his jacket over his shoulder while her right hand swayed gently as they walked.

The blonde haired girl closed her eyes for a moment. It was moments like this that seemed eternal. Going on walks was one of their favorite things to do, and she imagined that they'd do it forever. They walked as boyfriend and girlfriend, soon to be husband and wife. Eventually, they'd be pushing a stroller with their first baby then there would be other children. And finally, when they were old and grey, they'd still be walking hand in hand until they died.

"What's wrong, Serina?"

Serina looked over at Darien with a dazed look on her face. She shook her head for a moment to regain her thoughts then she smiled. "Nothing. I was just thinking."

Darien nodded. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Well, you only daze off when you're bored or hungry, and I was hoping you weren't bored."

Serina smiled. "I could never be bored when I'm with you."

Darien looked forward. "Why don't we get some ice cream up ahead then head back to Luna and the girls."

Serina agreed and the happy couple continued to a refreshment stand. After Serina got her triple scoop ice cream cone, they headed over to a grassy hill on the edge of the park. There in the grass, Luna, Artemis, Leta, Mina, and Ami sat on a blanket. Ami typed furiously on her computer with Artemis and Luna looking over her shoulder. Mina and Leta sat causally enjoying baked goods and taking about the latest gossip at Matsumura High.

Serina sat down and continued to lick her ice cream furiously. Darien kept standing and would occasionally glance around the park. "So did you find anything?" Serina asked with ice cream in her mouth.

Ami kept typing. "Yes, I believe I have found some useful information. Everything Tuxedo Samurai said seems to be true."

"How are we supposed to know we can trust this guy?" Darien asked, sounding slightly irritated. "We don't even know where he comes from or what he's doing…"

"…or why he looks like you," Artemis interrupted.

"Yeah, that too," Darien said. He folded his arms over his chest. "I don't know what it is. I just don't trust that guy. I have bad vibes about this Tuxedo Samurai guy!"

"I think he's fine," Serina said. "After all, he's always been there to help us."

"He saved Raye's life," Leta added.

Mina chuckled, "Yeah, and made out with her too."

Ami looked up from her computer and raised her hand. "Hey, everyone! I found a file about the Planet Crystals!"

Everyone gathered around the computer and glanced at the file that Ami pulled up. She cleared her throat. "The Planet Crystals were formed after Queen Serenity used the Silver Millennium Crystal to give a rebirth to the future. The Planet Crystals are souls of the Planets of the past that were destroyed by Queen Beryl. Each of us has a Planet Crystal that is from our own respective planets."

"What good are these supposed to do for us?" Mina asked.

Ami scrolled down on the computer. "These Crystals contain all the life-force that used to exist on our planets. Now our planets are dead wastelands in outer space, but in the age of the Silver Millennium, they once were our homes—vibrant and full of life."

"So the power of the life force will help us?" Leta questioned.

"Yes," Ami nodded.

Darien pondered for a moment. "But where are these crystals?"

"That's a good question." Ami started typing again. "I'm going to try and run a search on the location of the crystals." After typing for a few moments, she found success and the computer started scanning for the location. She looked at the bottom of the screen. "The scan is going to take 24 hours."

"What?" The Sailors moaned.

Ami shrugged her shoulders. "This will just have to take some time. Don't worry, we'll find them."

"Well, I say we go over to Raye's and spend the night while we wait for the computer to scan!"

"Good idea!" Leta said.

"Are you sure Raye won't mind?" Ami asked.

"Naw!" Serina exclaimed. "Besides she missed the meeting because of work! She'll be happy when we inform her about the Planet Crystals."

* * *

Usually when scrubbing and polishing the deck, people would work side by side so they could talk, but this time, Kyoji started on one end while Raye started on the other. She scrubbed and polished out her frustrations of the wooden deck of the temple. The young miko had strong and toned arms from the years of doing chores like this. Her long white sleeves were pulled up to show of her strong arms. Likewise, Kyoji had his sleeves rolled up. As Raye and Kyoji came closer to the center of the deck, she started to notice intricate details of Kyoji's face and body. His arms were strong and muscular, and his beautiful blue eyes glanced up and down the floor as he polished the wood gently. She stopped scrubbing for a few moments and stared at the boy. He was a hard worker—she couldn't deny that.

Kyoji looked up, peering through his hair, and caught a glance into Raye's eyes. She immediately looked away and continued to polish the floor. Once they had finished and cleaned every square inch of the deck, Kyoji sat up on his knees and wiped his forehead. Raye sat up too sitting motionless for a few moments.

Kyoji sighted deeply. "About what your Grandfather said earlier, I just want to…"

"…I don't want to talk about it," Raye snapped. She stood up from her knees and headed back to her bedroom.

Kyoji's head dropped and his eyes fixed on the grains on the floorboards. He sighed again, frustrated.


	7. Contact

**Chapter Seven**

**Contact**

"Please, please, hear me." A faint stream of tears trickled down the woman's face. She closed her eyes again and focused deeply. Using what power she had left, she tried to send a telepathic message to her friends. "Please! Sailor Scouts! Hear me! I need you!" She opened her eyes. It was a terrible strain trying to use her telekinesis powers when her powers have already faded so much, and her head already throbbed with pain.

She looked up at the sound of footsteps. It was the evil Queen. Trista jerked her head away from the sight. Watching the prisoner's reaction, the dark Queen slightly clucked. She then glanced over her shoulder. "Kanejiro."

Trista's head jerked back up.

From the shadows came the General of Metal. Trista's eyes locked with the eyes of the General. Eyes that once were a beautiful purple were now a bright and glowing red. "Kanejiro," she faintly called, voice shaking.

He didn't answer her.

The Queen smirked. "Kanejiro, kill her."

Trista's eyes bulged. Her throat closed off once she heard the scraping of metal. She looked at her husband's hands. From each hand, three metal blades pierced out from the top of his hands. The General raised his right arm and started to walk towards Trista.

"KANEJIRO!" Trista screamed. "YOU CAN'T! PLEASE!"

"He can't hear you!" Queen Beryl laughed. "He's mine now."

Trista pushed her back to the wall, but there was no escape. Heavy metal chains squeezed her wrists and ankles. The man who seemed more like a monster now approached slowly step by step with his arm raised ready to strike. She gasped hard and closed her eyes.

She laid on the floor next to the warm fireplace watching the flames dance in the darkness. It seemed like an eternity that she stared into the fire, but it was only a few hours. She was happy, but she couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts raced through her mind. Her concentration broke once something stirred behind her. She smiled. Soon her body was surrounded by warmth as an arm came around her and a body pressed against her back.

"What's wrong?" The man asked sleepily.

Trista rolled over onto her back. The man lay on his side facing her with his arm embracing her.

"Can't sleep." She faintly smiled.

"Why?"

She grinned deeply. "I love you." Trista stared up into her husband's deep purple eyes. She reached up and brushed the locks of black and silver out of his eyes.

"Trista?"

"I'm pregnant." She whispered, smiling.

"Wh…What?" Kanejiro stammered. He shook his head in disbelieve but a smile crept onto his face. "I…I…when? I mean…how long have you known?"

Trista smirked. "Tonight."

"How can you tell?"

"I have my ways."

Kanejiro collapsed his head on his pillow and gave a deep sigh. Trista rolled onto her side to face him. They stared at each other for a few moments then started to laugh simultaneously.

Trista opened her eyes again. Memories flashed before her mind in an instant. Soon, the blades started to fly at her.

"STOP!" The dark Queen hollered.

Kanejiro's hand stopped, blades inches in front of Trista's face.

"You may go, Kanejiro." With that, the General of Metal bowed and left the room. The dark Queen laughed. "Remember, that is the power I have over you." Then she walked away.

Trista took a deep painful sigh of relief as her heart pounded in her chest. After her initial shock, she burst into heavy tears. "SAILOR SCOUTS! I NEED YOU!" She screamed in her thoughts.

* * *

Raye shook her head as she sat in her chair. Her friends had invited themselves over and proclaimed a slumber party, without her permission of course, but she didn't mind it so much anymore. It was just part of being a Sailor Scout. Serena was loud and obnoxious as usual as she bounced around the room with a large bag of Doritos in her arm. Mina and Lita arranged the sleeping bags around the room while Ami sat at the table working on some homework. Raye smirked and got up from the chair. She grabbed one of Lita's homemade cookies from the table and sat back down in the chair.

Serena walked around the room and looked at all the pictures and knickknacks on the shelves. Serena grabbed a handful of Doritos and shoved them in her mouth. She grabbed a picture off the shelf and grinned. "What's this?"

Raye glanced over at Serena then rolled her eyes. She got up from the chair and ripped the picture from Serena's hand. "None of your business!"

"What is it?" Lita looked over while spreading out a blanket.

Mina stepped over to the girls. "Let me see!"

Serena grabbed the picture back from Raye. She flashed the picture towards Lita and Mina, who giggled, and Ami looked up from her homework. The girls caught view of a boy in a soccer uniform with an almost shaved head with a thin layer of brown hair. Lita grabbed a hold of the picture and sighed. "You sure are lucky, Raye."

"Yeah," Mina took the picture. "He's so hot."

Raye snatched the picture and put it back on the shelf.

"So what's it like dating the hottest guy in school?" Serena asked, eating another chip.

Raye shrugged her shoulders. "It's fine."

"You know, you don't look so happy about it." Lita sat down at the table.

"It's fine." Raye turned around. "All fine."

"So how many dates have you been on?" Mina asked.

Raye sat down at the table. "I don't know. We've been out to the movies before and gone out for dinner a few times. We're going out tomorrow afternoon."

All the girls crowded around the table and focused on Raye.

"So," Lita smiled. "Is he a good kisser?"

Raye blushed furiously. "He's pretty good."

"Better than Tuxedo Samurai?" Mina giggled.

Raye blushed even more which made the other girls giggle.

"Pardon me for saying this, but what exactly are you hoping to accomplish with this relationship?" Ami questioned.

"What do you mean?" Raye asked, taken back by the question. The other girls stared curiously at Ami for asking such a blunt question.

"Your grandfather has arranged you to marry Kyoji. Since you're dating Daitatsu, does that mean you refuse Kyoji and thus disinheritance from the Temple?"

Raye sighed. "I don't know what I'm doing about that right now. I certainly don't want to lose the Temple, but I certainly don't want to marry that…that…jerk!"

Serena rolled her eyes. "If you'd get to know him, you'd realize he's not a jerk at all!"

Raye crossed her arms. "Well, it seems you've got to know him pretty well."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Serena dropped the bag of Doritos.

"I think you know full well!" Raye spat. "I think its confession time! Have you been cheating on Darien with Kyoji?"

"WHAT!" Serena's eyes bulged. "I would never! How dare you even say such an awful thing! I love Darien!"

"Well, you've been spending a lot of time with Kyoji." Lita added.

"He's just my friend!" Serena exclaimed. "Nothing more! I don't like him like that!"

"I think he might like you like that." Lita pondered for a moment. "It's just the way he looks at you, Serena. I think something is up."

"Really?" Serena scratched her head.

"Yeah, you're practically the only one he talks to," Raye said.

Serena crossed her arms. "Maybe if you tried being nice to him, he'd talk to you too. Seriously, all of you aren't very nice to him!"

"I don't want to talk to him! I want him to leave my Temple!"

"Raye! You're impossible!" Serena realized she dropped her chips and picked them back up.

"Maybe we have been a little bit standoffish," Ami sighed. "I mean, he doesn't look like he'd be with the Negaverse."

Lita nodded. "Yeah, he looks perfectly fine to me."

"Really _perfectly fine_!" Mina giggled.

"If you think he's so great, why don't you go out with him, Mina?" Raye snapped.

Mina shrugged her shoulders. "Not my type." She looked over at Raye and grinned. "He's quiet and discerning best suited for someone who is also quiet and discerning."

Raye stared at Mina for a few seconds then dismissed what Mina had to say. She grabbed another cookie at the table and looked straight at Ami. "For someone who likes to add her input into my life, why don't we talk about you, Ami?"

Ami looked up from her book. "Me? What did I do?"

"Yeah, what is going on with you and Shoji?" Lita giggled. "Are you guys dating yet?"

"No." Ami blushed.

"What's the problem? Don't you like him?" Mina tapped on her nose while thinking. "You seem practically perfect for each other." She studied Ami's face.

"Practically." Ami sighed.

"Ami, what's the problem?" Lita asked.

"Nothing." Ami pondered for a moment on the boy with curly sandy brown hair and light blue eyes. "Nothing's wrong," she whispered.

"Hey look!" Serena held up a chip and all the attention left Ami. "This chip looks exactly like Darien!"

Mina glared hard at the chip. "No, it doesn't!"

Lita looked at the chip. "I think it looks like my old boyfriend!"

"That's ridiculous!" Raye shook her head. "I'm going to get some more snacks. Anybody want anything?"

Serene raised her hand. "Get me a soda."

"You've already had three!"

"Ami, can I have yours?"

"Yes," Ami answered without looking up from her homework.

Raye rolled her eyes. "Oh, fine!" She headed out of her bedroom and stepped out onto the deck. She shut the door behind her and the noisy girls behind her. She took a deep breath of the cool night air in relief from a moment alone. She started walking down the deck finally leaving the sound of the girls behind. As she walked silently in the dark, faint music tickled her ears. Curious, she stepped off the deck onto the stone sidewalk and headed through the courtyard. The bright moonlight lit her path extremely well. Pressing on, she continued off the path through the grove of bamboo on the edges of the courtyard. After a few steps, she peered through the bamboo to see the musician sitting on a stone bench.

The boy sat in only the light of the moon strumming a guitar. It was an extremely simple tune, but it had a captivating aura that made the soul ache. Raye froze as she stood in the shadows to listen. Only her heart pounded with the exhilaration of being caught. She tried to keep her breath quiet, but it felt as if she was screaming with each breath.

The music stopped. Raye ducked her head down as Kyoji glanced around for a moment. A deep sigh escaped his lips then he turned his attention back to the guitar. He held a chord with his left hand then started to pick some of the strings with his right hand. Raye let another breath escape in relief. She pondered as she stared at the boy for a few moments. She knew practically nothing about him. Part of that fascinated her, but part of her feared it. She prided herself on her discernment of people's thoughts and character, except this boy seemed unreadable. She didn't know if he was gentle or aggressive, intelligent or unintelligent, funny or serious, or even truthful or a liar—she didn't know anything at all, and that scared her.

She slowly took a step back and eventually turned around. She managed to leave the grove of bamboo and head back to the kitchen. Kyoji looked up towards the pathway in the bamboo and stared for a moment. He then turned back to the guitar and started to play again.

* * *

Serena squinted her eyes. Sweat dripped from her forehead. Her head tossed and turned in her pillow and her hands clenched her sleeping bag. Visions flashed through her mind as she dreamed.

"Sailor Moon! Please, help me!" the voice called in her dreams.

Serena popped up off the floor with a scream. The other girls awoke and sat up. Raye reached over and flipped a light switch.

"What's wrong?" Lita asked.

With tears streaming down her face, Serena turned to the others. "Trista's in trouble!"

"She's alive?" Raye exclaimed.

Serena nodded. "I heard her voice! She's alive!"

"How do you know?" Lita asked.

"I saw her in my dreams! She needs our help! She's hurting!"

"What should we do?" Mina asked.

"Let's go to the fire room!" Raye got up out of bed. "Maybe we'll get some answers from the fire!"

"Right!" The girls nodded.

They quietly headed to the fire room as fast as they could. Luckily, Raye's grandfather was practically deaf and wouldn't hear anything and Kyoji's shed was on the other side of the property. Quickly, the scrambled into the fire room and took their places in front of the eternal fire that had burned for 400 years. Raye tenderly kindled the fire for a few moments then kneeled in front of the great fire. With great concentration, Raye mediated for a few moments. Her thoughts focused and directed on Trista. After a few more seconds, Trista's face appeared in the fire. The girls jumped back in surprise, but soon Serena jumped forward next to Raye.

"Trista! You're alive!" Serena squealed.

"Barely." Trista gasped. "Please, I need you all to focus and use your Sailor Teleport."

"Why?" Leta sat up from her knees.

"I'm in danger. I need you to bring me to your world! Please!"

Raye nodded furiously. "Yes, Trista, anything."

"Please, Sailors, focus on me and use your teleportation powers. I will try my hardest to use my powers, but I need your help. I am so weak."

"Let's circle up." Mina stood up off the ground. The other girls followed Mina's lead. They got in their positions and locked hands. The other girls looked to Serena for leadership, and Serena nodded.

"Alright, let's do this." Serena closed her eyes and started to focus on Trista. In the mind of each girl, images of the dark warrior of Pluto appeared in their minds. They concentrated all their thoughts on their friend while evoking their powers of teleportation. It would only work if Trista could find enough strength to use her powers as well. Soon, each girl started glowing her respective color and a white light appeared upon Sailor Moon's forehead. The crescent moon appeared on Serena's forehead. The bright light even shone through the eyelids of the other girls. The others opened their eyes to see Serena engulfed in white light. The same ditzy, klutzy, messy Serena now in her aura looked like Princess Serenity. She was calm, graceful, commanding, and utterly beautiful. What Serena always had inside her poured out in front of them.

"SAILOR TELEPORT!" Serena commanded.

And soon, just as they had hoped, a purple light appeared in the middle of the circle and soon, Trista, their long lost friend stood before them. She immediately collapsed over and was caught in the strong arms of Sailor Jupiter. Lita kneeled to the floor and laid Trista down, keeping Trista's upper body against hers.

"Oh gosh! Look!" Mina grabbed a hold of Trista's hand. "Her wrists are cut and swollen!"

"I'm on it!" Ami ran off for medical supplies.

Trista faintly opened her eyes. "I've been a prisoner for the last…" She breathed heavily. "I don't know how long anymore."

"Prisoner? Where?" Raye asked.

Trista gasped again. "The Negaverse. Queen Beryl…I…" She gasped again.

"Hush." Serena placed her hand on Trista's forehead. "Let's wrap up your wounds and put you to bed first."

They sat in silence for a few moments until Ami ran back in with medical supplies. Ami kneeled next to Trista and started to clean the cuts and scrapes Trista had all over her body. To get at more of the wounds, Ami ripped the large and ragged cloak Trista wore and tossed it to the side.

"Lita, please get some spare clothes." Ami asked while concentrating on her job. Lita didn't answer. "Lita?" Ami looked up. All the Sailors were staring at Trista.

"My, Trista, you've sure packed on the pounds since you've stopped being a Sailor Scout." Serena said, her old self returning again.

Raye shook her head. "No, Serena. She's pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Serena looked baffled.

Trista faintly opened her eyes and a smile crept upon her face despite the immense pain and desperate circumstance she was in. "Yes, my husband and I are expecting our first child."

"Husband?" All the Sailors questions.

With that, tears leaked from her eyes. "Beryl has him. He's under a spell. He…he…"

Serena ran her fingers through Trista's hair. "Hush. We'll do anything to help you, and get your husband back."

After a few minutes of cleaning, wrapping, and dressing, Lita carried Trista into Raye's bedroom. They put the wounded warrior in Raye's bed and crowded around. Serena grabbed Trista's hand and squeezed it gently. "You're safe now. We'll take care of you."

"Thank you, Sailor Moon." Trista's head sunk deeply into the pillow. Tears gently streamed down her face as she lay in the bed "I don't know what I would have done without your help. Beryl threatened to kill me many times and…and…our baby."

The Sailors glanced back and forth to one another. Never had they seen the battle hardened Sailor Pluto so vulnerable and broken. She was always the rock—the strong one. Now someone needed to be strong for her.

"You're safe here. You've been through so much since your banishment, and we're going to make sure it's not all in vain." Raye said.

"Tell us, what happened to you. We thought you were dead." Mina asked.

Trista took a deep breath and wiped her tears. She tried to compose herself but had a difficult time doing so. "One I stopped time, I knew my fate was sealed. I thought I would be executed for such an action, but Queen Serenity came to my defense. It was agreed that I would no longer be Sailor Pluto and that I must be banished to the Outerworld."

"Outerworld?" The girls asked.

"Outerworld is a forsaken world. In fact, it is in the Negaverse itself." Trista shook her head. "At first, I wished that Serenity wouldn't have intervened. Outerworld is worse than death. Always cold, dark, and cruel. Only the most evil and vile people live there. My powers were, and still are, fading, and I was trapped in such a terrible place. I wished for death over and over again."

"Trista." Serena squeezed Trista's hand. "I'm sorry."

"It was horrible until I met him." Trista's dazed off. "He was like a flicker of light and hope in the darkest of night. He was good and pure. He wasn't like the other people of Outerworld. He wasn't evil. He didn't deserve to be there."

"Who?" Ami asked.

Trista shook her head from her daze and looked down to her feet. "Kanejiro, my beloved husband." She bit her lip.

"How'd you meet?" Mina asked, always interested in a great love story. "What's he like."

"I thought he was a thief, so I attacked him." Trista faintly chuckled. "He overpowered me since I was losing my powers as Sailor Pluto, but he freaked out when he found out I was a woman."

"Why?" Serena asked

"Women are rare in Outerworld."

"Why?" She asked again.

Trista looked down to her blankets. "In Outerworld, if you're a woman who can't defend herself, you're likely to become a sex slave to one of the gangs. It is better to die than become a slave like that. This place has ever kind of evil imaginable."

"Oh," Serena uttered.

"Once he found out I was a woman, and I found out that he wasn't trying to rob me, we decided to work together to find food. Food is hard to find there. He even allowed me into his shelter which was extremely wonderful compared to anything I had ever made for shelter. He had been there a long time and had many years to build an underground shelter."

"How did you guys fall in love?" Lita asked.

Trista sighed again. "We were constantly together, and we were all each other had. After awhile, my heart entwined with his. I couldn't stand it anymore. I…" She blushed.

"What?" The girls went wide-eyed.

"I went to his room. I sat down on the bed next to him, and confessed my feelings for him. We took vows of marriage to each other, and I gave him my life and my heart, and then I gave him my body." Tears started again. "I never thought I could learn to love someone so deeply and passionately, but now that it's gone, it's as if my heart was as cold as Outerworld."

"We'll do everything we can to get your husband back." Raye sighed. "The Negaverse won't get away with this!"

The girls sat in silence while Trista closed her teary eyes to try to sleep. The silence interrupted once the sliding doors to the bedroom screeched open. The girls quickly spun around and gasped.

"Amara! Michelle! Hotaru!"

The three other outer Sailors stood in the doorway of Raye's bedroom in their pajamas. Amara stepped in first. "Trista. I felt her presence. Where is she?"

The Sailors parted away from the bed to reveal Trista's position. Amara headed straight over to the bed and kneeled down. Michelle and Hotaru followed behind her.

"You're alive." Amara gasped.

Trista nodded. "Yes, it is good to see you."

Michelle leaned down to place a kiss on Trista's forehead, but rested her hand on Trista's stomach for balance. She gave Trista an odd look, and Trista only smiled.

Hotaru pondered for a moment. "You're carrying life."

Amara looked at Trista in confusion.

Trista nodded. "I'm going to have a baby."

"What? Who?" Amara asked, furiously. "Who did this to you? I'll kill him! I swear I'll kill whoever it is for doing this to you!"

Trista laughed. "Amara, he didn't do this to me. I love him."

"What?" Amara asked, still baffled. "You? In love?"

"Yes," Trista nodded.

Michelle smiled. "Wonderful, Trista."

"Your baby should come soon, right?" Hotaru asked.

Trista nodded. "Yes, I believe so."

Amara scratched her head. "Well, who would have thought, tough, cold, battle-hardened Sailor Pluto would have ever fallen in love, and especially with a man. Really now, did you like men the whole time because Michelle and I had this bet going…"

Michelle elbowed Amara. "Shut up." She smiled.

Trista rolled her eyes. "I liked men the whole time. You're just too arrogant to think that I could like anyone else but you, Amara," Trista teased.

Amara crossed her arms. "Whatever."

"Tell us how you survived," Hotaru asked.

All the Sailors gathered around the bed as Trista again began to tell her story.


	8. Sailor Mercury Kidnapped!

**Chapter Eight**

**Sailor Mercury Kidnapped! **

The bright lights of the Tokyo skyline glimmered like an ocean in the darkness of the night. He stood high above the city clutching onto a metal crossbar of Tokyo Tower with his left hand. Only his left foot was on the bar while the right side of his body dangled free in the wind. His long black trench coat fluttered in the wind. On his belt was his only possession—a sword called the Excalibur. With his right hand, he drew slowly drew the sword, watching the blade glimmer in the city light, and swung it aimlessly in the air. He looked down. The ground was hundreds of feet down, but he leaned back and released his grip on the bar. He fell aimlessly headfirst, laughing all the way down. Coming sooner to the ground, he flipped in mid-air and landed gracefully on his feet. He put his sword away and tucked his hands into the pockets of his trench coat while walking away.

He had walked the streets of Tokyo all night and played on the buildings as if they were his own personal playground. He kicked an empty soda can as he walked down the street. It wasn't often that he got to venture into the world of mortals—Queen Beryl never allowed it, but he had convinced her that it was necessary for him to study the mortals if he wanted to find the Moon Prince. Of course, Tokyo had millions of people and the effort felt absolutely futile. As his hand dug in his pocket, he grasped a hold of the Rainbow Moonstone. It was supposed to help him, but it seemed like a piece of junk that was getting him nowhere. If he didn't succeed, Beryl would likely kill him. He stopped walking for a moment to ponder. Would it matter if she killed him? He faintly sighed. She'd probably do him a favor if she killed him.

Emptiness was all he felt. It was all he ever felt—cold and empty. He continued walking. Nothing would ever stop the feeling. Maybe it was because he was the General of Ice, and it was just his curse to feel cold about everything. He shook his head and dismissed his thoughts. As he walked, he passed a couple of men. He glanced up, but they didn't acknowledge him. Nobody ever acknowledged his presence as he walked the streets at night. Catching the time, he decided to call it a night. It was two in the morning, and after all, it was a school night.

After walking a few minutes, he came to an apartment building. He looked around to see if anyone was around then jumped up onto the top story of the staircase on the side of the building. He opened the top window and stepped into the empty apartment. He made this apartment his base of operations while he was on Earth. He closed the window behind him and stepped into the middle of the room. He undid his belt and took of his sword. He laid the sword and scabbard on the floor next to his mattress pad. Next his trench coat came off along with his shirt and boots. He lay down on the mattress and grabbed his one thin blanket. He stared up at the ceiling and laid in the silence for a few moments. He was extremely glad that Azariah wasn't with him. She was terribly noisy and distracting. He sighed as memories flashed in his mind. So many nights Azariah came to him, and he complied, hoping to feel something. She was using him for physical gratification, why couldn't he use her just to feel something? But alas, he never felt anything. Her touch was hot to his skin, but his heart was always cold and his soul ached. He groaned and glanced to the side. On the floor laid his only change of clothes. It was a teacher's uniform. He turned his eyes back to the ceiling then closed his eyes. Tomorrow Matsumura High was getting a new Sensei.

* * *

Ami Mizuno walked down the hallway carrying her massive textbooks from physical science class. Along with her was the sandy brown haired boy with curly hair. They stopped at Ami's locker, and she did the combination while juggling her books. She opened her locker and grabbed her books for history.

"So, do you want to study for English tonight?" Shoji asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

Ami glanced away from her locker. "Yes, that would be fine." She grabbed a pen and shut her locker. "Do you maybe want to…" She paused for a moment and gulped. "…get dinner before or something?"

Shoji paused for a moment to think. "No, I'm busy. I only have time to study."

Ami glanced away from the boy's face. "Oh, okay."

"Eight tonight sound good?"

Ami nodded. "Yes, fine."

"Good." Shoji started to walk away. "Well, I need to get to computer class. See you at lunch, Ami-san"

"Okay. Bye Shoji-san" She trailed off.

Ami walked down the hallway and headed to her history class. It was one of her favorites. Everyone else considered Sensei Sato one of the most boring teachers in the school, for he was like an ancient fossil himself, but Ami found the class to be rather exciting. She walked up to the door and turned the knob. Confusion washed upon her face as she expected to see a short, fat, old man but instead saw a young, fit, and virile man sitting at the desk. Ami glanced over the new teacher. He looked extremely familiar, but she couldn't place where she saw this man before. His presence made her stomach turn and her senses scream. "He's the one who attacked Daita and Raye!" Ami thoughts screamed.

Suddenly, he looked at her directly making eye contact with her. His bright blue eyes stared into her eyes. Her thoughts became hazy and she couldn't remember who this man was anymore. She shook her head from her thoughts then went to her desk.

"So Sensei Sato must have finally died." One of the other girls said.

"Yeah, this new Sensei's pretty hot! I like him!" Another girl giggled.

Ami shook head at the silly girls and started to unpack her stuff. Soon the school bell rang, and the students took their seats. They waited for the teacher to start the class, but the new sensei sat at the desk silent. He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk.

"Um, Sensei, aren't you supposed to start class or something?" One of the boys raised his hand.

"Do whatever you want today." Kaiba dug into his front pocket and dug out a packet of cigarettes. He took one and lit it. All the students started giggling and whispering then they broke out into conversation.

"You're not supposed to smoke in here!" A girl piped up.

"Mind your own business." Kaiba put his arms behind his head and he leaned back in the chair. He closed his eyes sat quite comfortably with his feet up and a cigarette in his mouth.

At first, Ami tried to do the right thing. She opened her history book to the lesson that should have been covered today and started to review it, but the noisiness and the chaos of the classroom drove her nerves to an end. After a few minutes, she slammed the book shut, got out of her desk, and walked over to the teacher's desk. She slammed her hands down on the desk. The classroom fell silent.

Kaiba opened his eyes to see the angry blue haired girl towering over him. "What do you want?"

"Excuse me, Sensei, but I don't believe my mother or the Japanese government for that matter is paying to you sit around and smoke during class time."

"I'm the Sensei, and I'm in charge of this class. If I want us to do nothing, we will do nothing."

"You're supposed to be teaching us history!" Ami exclaimed. She grabbed the teacher's edition of their history book and threw it on the desk in front of Kaiba. The other students looked in awe at each other. Never had they seen Ami Mizuno that flustered.

Kaiba sat up in his chair. He glanced over the history book then curiously opened it. "Well, let's see here…" His eyes scanned through the first few pages. The strange symbols on the pages blurred together into a sea of black and white. "…uh…I…um…" He shook his head. "No, I don't need this!" He pushed the book away. He didn't know how to read.

Ami crossed her arms over her chest. "What is your name, Sensei?"

"My name?" Kaiba bit his lip. "My name…my name…" Kaiba's thoughts raced. He didn't know any last names. He didn't even know what his name was—if it was his last name or his first name—and besides, he didn't want to give his real identity away. "Sensei…uh…Sensei…"

"What?" Ami smirked. "You don't know your own name?"

Kaiba mocked her with his facial expressions. "Yes, I know own my name." He paused for a second. "It's, uh, Sensei Hisame," He replied, thinking of the word for chilly rain.

"Well, Sensei Hisame, I will be reporting you."

Kaiba took a puff of his cigarette and blew the smoke into Ami's face. "Well, what was your name again?"

"Mizuno Ami."

"Well, Mizuno-san, you'll be in detention after school for your disrespect."

"WHAT!" Ami exclaimed, slamming her hands on the desk. "You are by far the worst teacher I have ever seen…"

Kaiba jumped up from his chair. "You are the most disrespectful student I have ever taught!"

"You haven't taught me anything!" Ami yelled back. "You're just a freeloader looking for a paycheck!"

The students glanced back and forth at each other in awe. They had never seen Ami irritated, but they certainly had never seen her yell at anyone ever.

Ami's body shook. Never in her entire life had she felt such emotion and rage surge through her veins. It was like something possessed and controlled her. She said and did things that she normally wouldn't even dream doing. Her stomach swirled with emotion into one big stomach ache as she saw herself fall deeper and deeper into a hole, but she couldn't stop. The sight of this man irritated her more than anything in the entire world. The worst part of it was that she knew he knew this fact too.

Knowing the comment would annoy the girl even more; he grinned and let it fly. "Careful now, I might just have to suspend you." He glanced up for a moment. "Class dismissed."

The students quickly packed up their possessions and scurried out of the classroom. Some lingered to try and hear more dialogue, but after a few minutes, the students were all gone. Only Ami was left standing and trembling in front of the classroom. She stood silently mentally scolding herself for getting herself in a heap of trouble.

Kaiba jumped back into his chair and put his hands behind his head. "Mizuno-san, you need to calm down."

"There's nothing wrong with me. I'm fine!"

Kaiba smirked. "You're shaking like a frightened animal."

"I am not," Ami tried to stop her knees from wobbling.

The Sensei sat and stared at the young girl with a large grin on his face. Ami stood nervously as her Sensei's eyes racked over her. New emotions started pumping through her body. Anger and rage started turning into fear.

Ami gulped. "Sensei Hisame, may I please leave?"

"Why?"

"I feel very uncomfortable right now."

Kaiba let out a deep sigh and stood up from his chair. He casually walked over to the trembling student and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Fine, but promise me one thing."

"What?" Fear echoed in her voice, and tears almost started to leak from her eyes. She glanced away from the Sensei. Fear weaved webs of paranoia in her mind. What did he want with her? Would he try to hurt her? She was so scared she couldn't even look at him.

Kaiba grabbed Ami's chin and forced her to look at him. Immediately, tears poured from Ami's eyes. Kaiba sighed gently, and locked his bright blue eyes with Ami's. Her heart stopped for a moment. His eyes were gentle. "Mizuno-san, promise me that instead of hiding your feelings until they grow into a raging monster, you will share them."

Ami nodded slightly, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Kaiba released her chin, and she took a step back. After a few moments of staring each other down, Kaiba backed away and sat down in his chair. "You may go now." Ami closed her eyes and more tears poured. She quickly headed to her desk, gathered her things, and exited the room. Kaiba watched her as she hurried to leave, and once she left, he smirked.

Once she left the classroom, Ami started running down the hallway. Coming down the hallway, Shoji looked up and saw Ami running. He stopped, but she didn't see him. Accidentally, she ran into his shoulder. Books and papers went flying everywhere. Not even caring, she scrambled back up and tried to start running again. Shoji grabbed Ami in his arms. "Ami, are you okay?"

"Let me go!" Ami exclaimed. "Let me go!"

"Ami!" What's wrong?"

"Let me go!" Ami pushed him away and continued running down the hallway.

Shoji stood there dumbfounded. He looked around for a few moments then shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

Running down many stairwells, Ami found the place she usually liked to study without any disruptions. It was a stairwell in the basement of the school that wasn't used often. She sat down on the last step and pulled her knees to her chest. She buried her face and started to cry. She didn't know what to think or feel. She went from irritated to raging mad in seconds then fearing for her safety to having her soul laid out before a complete stranger. She shook her head. "Who is this man?" She thought to herself. "It's like he can see straight through me." Her heart ached. It was a terrible feeling. At first when he came close, she thought he was going to physically assault her, but when she saw his eyes, it was as if he permeated her mind and soul. It felt as if everything was laid bare for him to see. This seemed so much worse—he forced himself into her mind and soul, and that was a place she never let anyone in.

* * *

The lunchroom was noisy as usual. Lunch was an extremely delicate social situation. Depending on where one sat, it would profile your social status. On left wing in the front were mainly the nerd types—computer geeks, outcasts, the brainiest, and others who fit into this category. Usually Ami Mizuno made her way here when not with her Sailor friends, but today the five of them had to meet for important business. She sat down at an empty table and one by one the other Sailors joined her.

She typed silently on her little blue computer while the others sat eating their lunches. There was slight tension in the air. The others heard about Ami's blow-up with Sensei Hisame, but they didn't know how to ask her about it.

"Have you locked in the locations of the Planet Crystals yet?" Lita finally spoke just before shoving a piece of shrimp into her mouth.

Ami turned the computer around so the others could see. "Yes, all nine crystals have been located by the computer."

"They're all in Japan." Raye noted. "Is the red one mine?"

Ami nodded. "Yes, your crystal is in Tokyo somewhere."

"Well it looks like mine is all the way up in Hokkaido," Lita sighed. "When are we going to have time to find it?

"Fall break is coming up in two weeks. Maybe we could do it then?" Mina suggested.

"Hey, mine's in Tokyo too!" Serena exclaimed.

Mina watched the small orange dot flash on the screen. "What city is that again? Hmm…"

"Osaka," Ami answered.

"And yours is north of mine," Mina said.

"Yes, in the Shinano prefecture." Ami nodded.

Raye dug her notebook out of her bag. "We'll have to report to the outer Sailors that their crystals have been found then we'll have to make plans on how we're going to get the stones."

"Right!" The other girls agreed.

* * *

The two of them walked home in silence. He slowly trotted with his hands in his pockets while she carried her books tightly against her chest. They walked down the dark street and entered into circles of light when crossing under lampposts.

Ami looked up into the starry night sky. She exhaled, and her warm breath floated up to the heavens. Millions of thoughts scattered through her mind but nothing came out her mouth. She glanced over at Shoji. "Why hasn't he asked me out yet?" She wondered. "I guess he's still too shy…" She stopped her thoughts as pain filled her heart. "What's wrong with me?" She wondered. "Why doesn't he like me?"

"What are you doing Saturday?" Shoji broke the silence.

Ami jerked her head over. "Me? Saturday? Uh…nothing. I'm free the _whole _day. The _entire _day, in fact."

The boy tugged on his ear. "Do you want to study for the Geography test on Saturday?"

"I guess so." Ami looked forward. Her house was at the end of the street, and with the silver car in the driveway, it meant her mother was home. The two of them continued until they reached the small driveway of Ami's house. They paused at the mailbox and stood silently looking at each other. Ami looked down as her feet stood in the cool, mushy grass while Shoji darted his eyes over the sideway and rubbed the back of his neck.

Ami glanced up, looked at Shoji, and swallowed hard. "Shoji, we need to talk."

"About what? Is Saturday not good for you?"

Ami shook her head. "No, Saturday's fine. I mean, about our relationship..."

"Oh look!" Shoji pointed in the sky, "There's Ursa Major—the bear constellation!"

Ami rolled her eyes as she turned around to look. "Yes, very nice, but we seriously need to talk…"

As Ami was talking, the front door of her house flew open, and Ami's mother stepped out onto the sidewalk wearing her pajamas and robe. "Ami, dear, you need to get inside! You'll catch a cold! I don't know how many cases of pneumonia I've treated this week…" She stopped talking once she saw Shoji. She put her hands on her hips and looked at Ami. "Who's this? Is he that boy you like but hasn't asked you out yet?"

"Mom!" Ami hissed under her breath. "Just go back inside! I'll take care of this!"

The blue-haired woman with wavy curls tied back in a ponytail extended her hand to Shoji. "Umiko Mizuno, Ami's mother. What's your name, young man?"

"Fujita Shoji." He bowed.

"Mom!" Ami hissed. "Just go back inside."

"Ami, I want to meet your friend…" Umiko looked up out onto the street. "Is he your friend too?" She pointed toward the street.

Ami turned her head and looked toward the street. Her heart skipped a beat. A dark blue haired man stood in the street with his black trench coat fluttering in the wind. He saw that he was spotted and started to walk forward while digging into his pocket.

"Or is that the guy you like, Ami?" Umiko turned to Ami.

"Mom!" Ami started to back away. "Get in the house now!"

"Nonsense! I…" While Umiko spoke, a beam of white light shot out of Kaiba's hand and went straight through Shoji's chest. Shoji fell backwards unto the lawn while his heart crystal remained floating in the air.

Umiko stumbled backwards in fear and tried to rush towards the house, pulling Ami along with her. "What kind of friends are you making?" She gasped as she tried to scurry away.

"He's not my friend, mom!" Ami exclaimed, trying to run away.

While pulling her mother's arm to guide her into the house, Ami suddenly felt her mother's arm grow cold. She glanced over and saw her mother completely turned to ice. "MOM!" She screamed as she gazed over her frozen mother. She quickly spun around to see the General of Ice in the street standing with his arm extended. Her memory returned to her in that moment. He was no teacher—he was the warrior that attacked Daita and Raye. "What do you want?"

"The Moon Prince!" Kaiba exclaimed. "Give him to me now!"

"We don't have any Moon Prince!"

Kaiba extended his hand toward Ami. She shielded herself with her arms, but realized that no attack was coming. She looked up to see Shoji's heart crystal floating towards Kaiba. "NO! Leave his crystal alone!"

Kaiba held the crystal in his hand and studied it. The crystal was dim—a light brown color. "What a coward," He pondered as he studied the crystal.

"LEAVE HIS HEART CRYSTAL ALONE!" Ami screamed.

"Give me the Moon Prince, or I'll crush it!"

"Then I'll fight you for it!" Ami pulled out her Sailor transformation stick. She called upon her powers of Mercury and soon transformed into the Solider of Water. Immediately, she started an attack toward the General. "SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"

As the attack hurled toward him, Kaiba side-stepped and dodged the attack effortlessly. He looked over at her once the attack dissipated. "I'd rather not get wet this time. It's rather cold out."

"Then how about a little fire! MARS FLAME SHOOTER!" The fire attack flew directly at Kaiba's chest, but again, he was able to effortlessly dodge the attack.

Sailor Mercury glanced off in the distance to see her friends. All the other Sailors and Tuxedo Mask stood ready for a fight. They soon formed a circle around Kaiba. Kaiba glanced around as he watched himself being circled. He stood up straight out of his fighting stance and kept glancing around. Everyone stood silent for a moment, but Tuxedo Mask broke the silence when he charged with his cane.

Tuxedo Mask swung his cane, but Kaiba dodged. He swung again but this time, Kaiba caught the cane in his hand. Outmaneuvering Tuxedo Mask, Kaiba elbowed Tuxedo Mask in the face then punched him in the stomach. Tuxedo Mask collapsed over in pain while gasping for air. Worried, Sailor Moon charged first while the other Sailors followed. Fists and feet flew at Kaiba from all directions, but he was able to combat them all. He would punch, kick, block, dodge, and throw effortlessly. He punched Sailor Moon in the face, kicked Sailor Jupiter in the stomach, blocked an attack from Sailor Mars while dodging a punch from Sailor Venus. He then grabbed Sailor Mercury's arm and threw her down the street then threw another punch into Sailor Venus' back. He kicked Sailor Mars behind her knees and while she fell, he chopped her in the chest. Finally, as Sailor Mercury ran toward him, he shot an energy blast into her stomach, sending her flying again.

The wounded warriors looked up at Kaiba while gasping for air. The blows the sustained paralyzed and numbed their bodies. In one punch or kick, each Sailor was knocked out. Kaiba smirked as he looked at the wounded bodies. He grabbed a hold of the heart crystal again. "I expected better from the Sailor Scouts."

"Drop that heart crystal!"

Kaiba looked down the street. "Tuxedo Samurai. Perhaps I'll have a challenge now."

The Sailors tried to sit up the best they could to look at the other Tuxedo Warrior. The mysterious Tuxedo Samurai walked toward them with his katana already drawn. Kaiba opened his long trench coat and revealed his sword—the Excalibur and drew it from it's sheathe.

"Are you any good with that thing?" Tuxedo Samurai asked.

"Naturally. And you?"

"I've practiced a bit." Tuxedo Samurai charged at Kaiba. The Sailors blinked. It looked as if a black blur charged then smacked into Kaiba's sword. Kaiba gripped his Excalibur tightly and held his guard while Tuxedo Samurai smashed into him.

"So you are good," Tuxedo Samurai stated.

"And you've practiced more than a bit," Kaiba grunted while using his strength to keep his guard.

The two warriors backed away from each other and panted for a few seconds. They then charged back and forth at each other. The Sailors watched with their eyes bouncing all over the street. It looked as if two blurs were running all over the place with the random clashing sound of metal every few seconds. They seemed to be evenly matched as they dueled for a few minutes, both out of breath and panting heavily. Kaiba glanced over to the side and extended his hand. He sent a small blast of energy flying toward Sailor Jupiter. She glanced up quickly, but couldn't move out of the way. She shielded herself, but opened her eyes after a few moments. Towering above her was Tuxedo Samurai with frozen feet. "NO!" She hollered. "Tuxedo Samurai!" The rest of the Sailor hollered.

Tuxedo Samurai grabbed his katana with both hands and stabbed the block of ice on his feet. The ice broke apart, and he was able to get free. He started to charge forward. He looked up and stopped.

"Help!" Sailor Mercury gasped. She was in Kaiba's grip. His arm was around her neck choking her, and his blade was held to her

throat.

"Sailor Mercury!" The Sailors hollered.

Kaiba took a step back from the Sailors out of the fighting ring. "Give me the Moon Prince, or I'll kill her!"

"Let her go, Kaiba!" Tuxedo Samurai hollered sternly.

"Take one step closer, and I'll kill her!"

Tuxedo Samurai stopped walking. "Let her go!"

Kaiba smirked as he glanced over the Sailor Scouts.

"Help me!" Sailor Mercury gasped for air. "I can't breathe!"

"KAIBA!" Tuxedo Samurai hollered.

"Alright! I'll let her go!" He grinned again, but two small blue laser beams shot from Kaiba's eyes. The beams hit Tuxedo Samurai, and he instantly started to freeze. Kaiba backed away again, and the Sailor Scouts started to charge toward Kaiba. He managed to back away a few more steps, but he disappeared with Sailor Mercury in his arms just before the Sailors reached them. Sailor Moon swung her arms in midair to try and grab Sailor Mercury, but it was too late—Ami was gone. Sailor Moon collapsed to her knees. "AMI!" The other Sailors stopped running and circled around where Ami disappeared. Tears started to pour from each of the girls' eyes. "AMI!" Sailor Moon screamed again. She collapsed over onto the hard pavement of the street. "AMI!"

Tuxedo Mask bent over and cradled Sailor Moon into his arms as she screamed and cried frantically. The other Sailors stood solemnly for a few moments. Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter went to attend to Shoji and Ami's mother while Sailor Mars went to unthaw Tuxedo Samurai. Only Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask stood in the light of the lamppost holding each other and crying.


	9. A Night with Tuxedo Samurai

**Chapter Nine**

**A Night with Tuxedo Samurai**

The ground was cold—even for her. Her cheek was numb from the cold ice she laid on for hours. Regaining some consciousness, she glanced up and the creaking of metal. A pair of feet stepped into her view, fingers dug into her flesh then she was lifted off the ground. She body ached as if she was thrown into the floor a thousand times already, and perhaps she was, but she could remember anything in that moment. She glanced up and saw two guards dragging her out of her prison cell. Her legs drug across the cold floor while the guards took her through the maze of ice tunnels. Soon, they entered a large cave-like room, and she was thrown to the floor again. Her forehead smacked into the cold ground. She squinted her eyes from a splitting headache.

"Sailor Mercury."

She knew the voice. Sailor Mercury slowly looked up. Her eyes followed the stairs of ice up until they reached the evil Queen herself. "Beryl," Sailor Mercury uttered as she slowly crawled up onto her feet.

"Queen Beryl to you," The Queen uttered, slightly annoyed.

Sailor Mercury wiped her forehead. She looked at the streak of blood on her glove then touched her forehead again. Half of her face was covered in dried blood and a wound on her forehead still bled. She looked at the dark Queen. "You have done nothing to deserve respect!"

One of the guards kicked Sailor Mercury behind her knees. She collapsed to the ground on her knees.

"You will show respect to Her Majesty!" The guard yelled.

Sailor Mercury started to swing her arms to punch the guards, but they grabbed her arms and restrained her.

"Insolent brat!" Queen Beryl stood up and reached her hand towards Sailor Mercury. A beam of dark energy shot from Queen Beryl's hand and entered into Sailor Mercury's chest. She screamed as the dark energy pierced through her body. She watched herself transform back into her school uniform. Her Sailor pen hovered in front of her chest for a few moments then was drawn into the hands of Beryl.

Weak, the regular school girl, Ami Mizuno collapsed to the ground while Queen Beryl held her Sailor pen. The dark Queen squeezed the pen and felt the power of Mercury. "My strength shall benefit well from your contribution."

"Give it back!" Ami yelled, but again, the guards kicked her down for her insolence.

"Kaiba!" Queen Beryl hollered. From the shadows, the General of Ice appeared before the courtroom.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"What was your mission?"

Kaiba bit his lip. "To bring the Moon Prince back and to kill Sailor Mars."

"So why do I have this pathetic excuse for a warrior standing before me?" The Queen's voice shook with rage. "I asked for Sailor Mars, not Sailor Mercury!"

"But, your Majesty…"

"But nothing!" She screamed. "You are pathetic and worthless! I ask for one simple thing, and you can't even do it!"

Kaiba stepped forward. "Queen Beryl, I was attacked by Tuxedo Samurai…"

"I told you to kill him too!" She stomped her foot into the ground. "Can't you listen to a thing I say?"

"Queen Beryl, I brought a Sailor Scout to your feet! That's a lot more than any other of your lackeys can say!" Kaiba hollered.

The Queen fell deadly silent. She glared at her Ice General for a moment. Ami glanced over at the stern General who kidnapped her.

"The next time you raise your voice to me, I won't hesitate to kill you and replace you with someone more respectful." The Queen turned her head in disgust. "I will be sending Azariah to clean up your messes! Now get out of my sight!"

Kaiba stood silently clenching his fists. Ami gazed over the Ice General for a few moments then turned her gaze back to the Queen.

"Yes, your majesty." Kaiba stormed out of the courtroom.

Queen Beryl gently waved her hand. "Guard, get her out of my sight! Do whatever you wish with her."

Suddenly, the guards took a hold of Ami's arms and dragged her out of the courtroom. She screamed and hollered at Beryl, but the dark Queen merely sat on her throne completely deaf to the screams and cries of the blue-haired girl.

The Queen sat in silence pondering over the events. She arose from her throne. "Guards! Leave!" Everyone scurried out of the courtroom leaving the Queen to herself. She headed to the center of the room and stepped to the edge of the fountain of grey water. It slowly churned and swirled like liquid opal, and the cool mists tickled her ankles. She gazed deep into the water. "Show me the past of Sailor Mars."

The water did nothing for a few moments but soon colors and pictures started to form in the water. Red carpets stretched over tan marble hallways and white marble columns stretched high to the ceiling. Every turn, deep hallway, and corner of the Moon Kingdom Palace was beautiful and grand. Every inch fit for the supreme ruler of the Universe—Queen Serenity. Down the hallway walked a man dressed in his pure white general uniform. The man with blue eyes and blonde hair, common traits of the Moon Kingdom royalty, walked silently clutching the handle of his sword. He jerked as he heard footsteps, but calmed once slender hands covered his eyes.

"Guess who?"

"Serina?" The man smirked.

"No!" The mystery person hissed.

The man kept smirking. "That History tutor I had with the wart on her face…"

The mystery person put her hands down. The man turned around. "Oh, you. You were my next guess," He said, still grinning.

"Shut up," The raven haired girl snapped.

"Me?" The man cocked his eyebrow. "You know, you're not very good at this relationship thing."

The raven haired beauty smiled. "Neither are you."

"You are the meanest…" The man grabbed the raven-haired girl by the waist. "…most rude woman I have ever met, but…" He breathed. "…I can't stop thinking about you."

"Well you sir, Mister General of the Moon Kingdom, you are the most arrogant, rude, cocky…" Her voice grew weak as his lips approached hers. "…wonderful man I have ever met." She whispered just before his lips crashed into hers. After a few moments, they pulled away from each other completely absorbed into each others eyes.

"How did we ever fall in love?" Princes Raye breathed, laying her head on the Moon Prince's chest.

He rested his head a top of hers. "I don't know. You're not a very nice person."

She gently punched him in the stomach. "You aren't either."

He laughed, wrapping his arms around his Princess. "I guess it surprised us." He sighed.

She held onto him tighter. "I never hated you…" She paused for a moment. "…even though I said it all the time."

"Why did you say it?"

"Because I thought you didn't like me." Princess Raye said. "I thought it'd just be easier to tell myself that instead of hurting inside for you."

The Moon Prince gently nodded his head. "And our cycle of hatred kept us apart for so long."

"Yes." The Princess stepped out of the Prince's arms and walked over to the window. She looked out into the night sky. "But, it is that hatred that is saving us now."

The Prince came up behind her and gently placed his hand at the small of her back. "As long as they all think we hate each other, our relationship can survive."

The waters of the pool swirled and shifted into a different scene and picture. Beryl watched carefully as a new scene unveiled before her. The white General and the Princess of Fire stood out on the balcony of the Moon Kingdom Palace.

Raye turned her gaze towards the Prince. Not often would the warrior of fire tear up, but drops of pain started flowing from her eyes. "We can't keep this up forever. They'll discover us. Any day now my parents could announce an engagement for me and any day Queen Serenity could find a bride for you…"

"Hush." The Prince placed his hands on the Princess' cheeks. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there, but for now, let us enjoy the few moments we have alone."

"No! I won't!" She stepped away from the railing of the balcony. "It'll be no good for me to be here with you when we are so unsure of what is to come!" More tears poured from her eyes. "I'd rather die that give myself to anyone but you."

"Raye?" The Prince took a deep breath. "What are you saying? Have your parents made arrangements for you?"

She looked up at him. "No, not yet, but I don't want anyone else but you." She glanced away, hating the fact she was so emotional. "I love you."

The Prince sighed and nodded his head. He stepped forward and took the Princess into his embrace. He held her tightly as if it was his last time to hold her. After pondering for a few moments, he took her hands into his and stepped back. The Princess tried to stop her tears, but it wasn't successful.

"Raye," He uttered, voice trembling.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Would you marry me…" He bit his lip for a moment as her facial expression looked questioning. "…tonight?"

She nodded her head and buried herself in his arms. "Yes, you're the only one I want."

The silvery waters of Beryl's fountain started to swirl and churn again, washing away the pictures that played before Beryl. The old Queen backed away from the water and pondered deeply. She studied the past, present, and future trying to make connections, but there were so many gaps and unanswered questions. What exactly was so special about Sailor Mars? Yes, she and the Moon Prince were secretly married, but what did this mean? The waters showed her that the child of Sailor Mars would destroy her, but Sailor Mars and the Moon Prince never had a child, and the reincarnated Sailor Mars doesn't have a child. "The future is foggy and harder to see," Beryl thought to herself. "The clue must be in the future."

* * *

It was a difficult time. Ami's mother was left in a state of deep sleep. Sailor Moon placed a sleep spell on Ami's mother to keep her from ever remembering what had happened except for the fact the spell would only last a few weeks, if that. Depressed and disheartened, the Sailor Scouts spent the next few days relentlessly pursing their tasks until Ami could be safely brought back home.

Ami was a genius. They all knew that, but she managed to surprise them once again with her cunning intellect. The Sailors gathered around the table in Raye's bedroom studying and making their plans to save Ami and get the Planet Crystals. Just before Sailor Mercury was kidnapped by General Kaiba, she dropped her tiny blue computer for the others to find. With the computer, the devised a strategy that would be the most effective—Amara, Hotaru, and Michelle would head their own separate ways to find their own respective Planet Crystals while the inner Sailors would stay behind in Tokyo. Curiously, Raye's very own Planet Crystal was on the very property of the Cherry Hill Temple. Behind the grove of trees in the back laid a few acres of barren grass fields and a small forest of trees. It was a rare thing to have empty space in Tokyo, and her grandfather could have made a fortune if he sold it, but he never would. Often, Raye would go for walks back in the field, but recently she had been too busy to do so. It was this area that Ami's computer located the Planet Crystal of Mars.

In a pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, she headed out of her bedroom. As she walked past the temple structure, she gazed in through an open doorway. The young Priest walked back and forth mopping the floors of the great shrine. She shook her head. "Working on his day off…" She continued walking. "…He's probably just trying to earn points with grandpa," She chuckled. "Not that'll do him any good." With the computer in hand, she headed through the small grove of bamboo on the edge of the property and followed the signal on the computer. After weaving through the bamboo, she came to a clearing. For a long distance, tall grass waved gently back and forth in the wind. The rustling sound was calming, and as she stepped into the grass, she reached out her hand to touch the tall grass.

After walking a few yards, she came to a small creek which she easily jumped over. As she walked alone, thoughts and feelings came to her mind. She had another dream of the mysterious warrior. Every time they felt real, but as time went on, they seemed more real. "Is it really Tuxedo Samurai," she wondered. She hoped it was. Nothing would be worse than dreaming about someone else's boyfriend. She used to really like Darien, but for some reason, comparing Tuxedo Samurai to Tuxedo Mask, she favored the Samurai over the Earth Prince. Not even noticing, she made herself blush, but she shook her head. "Silly fantasies." She remembered she had a date with Daita that night, and of course, there was that matter of her forced engagement to Kyoji Tsukiyama.

She pondered deeply about the mystery boy. She practically knew nothing about him. She let her pride go for a moment since her heart convicted her. "There are worse men in the world, but I will never end up like my mother!" She thought to herself. She stopped and looked around the empty land. Tears almost came to her eyes. It was her mother's sacrifice that saved these lands in the first place. Her other grandfather, Masaharu Hino, was a powerful business man in the city of Tokyo. Mr. Hino wanted to seize the temple lands for building projects, but her mother and real Grandfather fought them in court. Masaharu had powerful friends and influenced the judge's decision, but Masaharu's son, Ryo Hino, had a powerful attraction for Raye's mother, Sakura Himura, since high school. Striking a deal, Masaharu agreed only to leave the temple alone if Raye's mother, Sakura, would marry his son, Ryo Hino.

Raye kept walking to keep herself from crying. Her father only wanted her mother as a trophy wife. He didn't love her mother or her for that matter. She remembered being dragged all over Japan for her father's political campaigns. She remembered watching her father flirt with other women at parties, and come home screaming at her and her mother every night. Raye wiped away her tears. There was no way on earth that she would end up like that. She would never be forced to marry someone she didn't love. Her heart instantly froze inside and grew hard. "That boy! He just wants to be Priest of his own temple! He doesn't care about Grandpa or me for that matter!"

Her tears started to dry up as she reached the end of the property. There was a thin grove of trees that stood on the edge of a huge cliff. Walking up to the edge, Raye grabbed a hold of one of the trees and looked over the edge. The outskirts of the city lay below with a large river running through the bottom of the steep slope. It was an extremely difficult climb down, but she had done it before. But she had business to take care of so she turned away from the edge and walked back into the trees. Looking at the computer, the small red dot flashed frequently. She zoomed in. It was only a few feet away. Raye followed the directions of the computer and looked up. She had seen it a thousand times before—the small little shrine placed in a hole of a tree. A gold colored statue of a fire god stood in the hole with a red piece of wood on its base. But this was where the computer was pointing to. Raye reached out and touched the statue. She pulled on it and it came out of the hole with the wooden base. It covered the deeper part of the hole in the tree. Raye carefully laid the statue on the ground. She looked at the hole, a little hesitant to stick her hand down the tree. "There better not be a raccoon down there or something," She muttered to herself as she stepped up to the tree. She stuck her hand in and felt around. There were many items down in the hole. She pulled the first one out—an old doll. She reached in a second time and felt something hard like a rock. She pulled it out. It was a dark red crystal coved with chunks of dry mud. She smiled at the sight of the crystal. "I can't believe it." She tucked it into her bag. She reached down again and grabbed what felt like a book. Pulling it out, it was an old and weathered leather diary. She shoved it into her backpack along with the doll and crystal. Since there was nothing left, she placed the statue back where it belonged then closed Ami's computer. She turned around to leave the trees.

"Sailor Mars."

Raye looked up. The tanned warrior with flaming red hair and bright orange eyes glared her down. "You! You're the one who attacked Daita!"

"My name's Azariah, but I suppose it doesn't matter."

Raye jumped into a defensive stance and held her guard up. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you dead!" She held up out her hand and a small flame appeared in her palm. "Sailor of Fire, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right!" Raye grabbed her Sailor Pen.

Azariah smirked. "We'll see." She allowed Raye the time to transform into Sailor Mars. Soon, the two warriors of fire were face to face and ready for battle.

Azariah leapt into the air and started throwing small fireballs at Sailor Mars. Quickly, Sailor Mars ducked and rolled. She quickly scrambled to her feet with dodging more of the small fireballs.

"Your reflexes are terrible!" Azariah flew towards Sailor Mars. Sailor Mars looked up and grabbed a hold of Azariah's arms. She kept the Fire General from punching her in the face, but Azariah's arms pushed through and grabbed a hold of the Sailor. "And your physical strength is pathetic!"

Sailor Mars head butted Azariah in the face to get free. Both fell to the ground, but Sailor Mars managed to scramble to her feet before Azariah could get up. She held out her hand and called upon one of her attacks. "MARS FLAME SHOOTER!"

She was so close—only a few feet away. The shot was perfect and should have taken care of Azariah, but Raye gasped once she saw the other woman stand up from the smoke holding her sore head. She wiped her lip and saw a small streak of blood. Furious, the Fire General glared over at Sailor Mars. An aura of bright flames surrounded her body. "I'm going to kill you!"

Sailor Mars stepped back into a defensive position, but before she could, Azariah's fist was already in her face. Mars flew back and smacked into a tree. Blood instantly started to gush from her nose. Watery eyed, the Sailor glanced up to see a narrow eyed General towering before her. A strong hand wrapped around her neck and lifted her off the ground. Sailor Mars cried out as Azariah's fingertips dug into her neck. Azariah threw the Sailor to the ground. Sailor Mars' back went numb after crashing into the hard ground. She couldn't move anymore. The attacks of Beryl's new Generals were completely paralyzing; the sheer strength of one punch or kick could immobilize the Sailors. Azariah straddled Raye's body between her legs. She sat down on Sailor Mars' stomach, making the Sailor gasp heavily for air.

"I've been criticized because I don't use weapons." Azariah studied the face of the wounded Sailor. "You see, if I had a weapon, I could kill you swiftly and easily, but since I don't…" The General smiled while leaning down over Raye's body. Her breath tickled Sailor Mars' cheek. "…you'll have to die much more painfully." Azariah gently brushed the locks of messy black hair away from Mars' face then traced the features of her enemy's face. She placed a hand on each side of Mars' temples.

A scream escaped Sailor Mars' mouth. Her head instantly burned with from the heat of Azariah's touch. It was the sensation of flesh burning, but it wasn't actually happening. Relishing in her enemy's pain, Azariah surged more of her power into Sailor Mars' head. It was painful and humiliating. Sailor Mars never screamed. She swore she'd never give any of her enemies the satisfaction of her screaming, but Azariah's power made her scream like a little girl. Seconds felt like hours to the Sailor Scout, but soon the hands pulled away and the pain stopped. Azariah had let out a faint cry. Sailor Mars glanced up. A long scratch ran across Azariah's cheek and a faint trickle of blood poured from the cut. Sailor Mars turned her head to the left. The dark warrior, Tuxedo Samurai, stood ready to fight with a throwing star in his hand.

Azariah stood up from the ground. A large burst of flames surrounded the General. "I used to think you were really cute, but I'm going to have to kill you."

Tuxedo Samurai threw the star he had in his hand. Azariah quickly jerked her head back, but the star grazed across her other cheek, making a lighter scratch. "Bring it on!"

"YOU COCKY LITTLE…" She charged forward. Her hands started to glow a bright red. "I'LL MELT YOUR FACE OFF!"

Tuxedo Samurai dodged her advance. He drew his katana quickly and slashed it towards the General. She tried to dodge again, but another cut fell across her back. She screamed in agony and charged at him again this time throwing fireballs. The Samurai deflected some of the fireballs while dodging the others. After a few attacks and counterattacks, the General stood furious. The ground started caving in from the intense energy of her emotional aura. Having a free moment, Tuxedo Samurai looked over toward Sailor Mars, but it was too late. A large fireball was hurled toward the Sailor. Tuxedo Samurai ran to push Mars out of the way, but both of them were hit at the same time. Together, they flew through the trees and off the edge of the cliff. Both of them rolled down the rocky slope and fell into the large river at the bottom.

Breathing heavily and grinning, the Fire General walked over to the edge of the cliff. She gazed over the land below—there was no sight of the Samurai or the Sailor. "Those weaklings couldn't have survived a fall like that." She turned around and started to walk away. "Beryl will reward me greatly for this!"

* * *

He opened his eyes when a coldness touched his forehead. He was slightly startled when he awoke.

"It's alright. You had a nasty fall."

The dark warrior sat up, but with great pain to his side. He glanced down the dark room. "Where am I? What's going on?" He kept looking around until he laid eyes on his caregiver.

"Lay still! You're hurt." Sailor Mars pushed him back down.

The masked warrior glanced up at the ceiling. They were next to a blazing fire in a small, dark cave. "Where are we?"

"I'm not sure how far we washed down river." Sailor Mars took the wet cloth off Tuxedo Samurai's forehead. "It took all I had to drag you in here."

"River?" Tuxedo Samurai pondered. "Oh, yes, we were knocked in after Azariah attacked us." He laid still after figuring out what had happened. "She didn't chase us?"

"Not that I saw. I brought you in here just in case." Sailor Mars wetted the cloth again from a water bottle she had in her backpack. She stood up and hobbled over to the entrance of the cave and peaked through the crack. "It's nighttime now. It'd be unwise to move."

"You hurt your ankle."

"Yes." Sailor Mars limped back over to Tuxedo Samurai's side. She grabbed her backpack and started digging around. "I'm afraid I haven't got much to eat except a pack of crackers and some candy."

Tuxedo Samurai tried to sit up again, but he hissed in pain. Sailor Mars reached over and placed her hand on his stomach to keep him from moving. She felt something cold and wet. She looked at her hand—blood. "You're hurt!" She frantically reached for his black jacket and stripped it off. Next, she quickly undid his white shirt revealing his bare stomach. A large cut continued to bleed on his side. She dabbed the remaining blood with her cloth and cleaned up the wound. After she finished, ripped a piece of her own Sailor uniform and placed it over the cut.

Sailor Mars glanced up. The mysterious Tuxedo Samurai was blushing brighter than the red sun. In her medical assistance, she hadn't realized she stripped her patient half-naked. She quickly spun her head away from the warrior. "I'm sorry, I…"

"Thank you, Sailor Mars." He reached for white shirt and covered himself up with the bloody shirt.

She slowly turned around, able to face him from her embarrassment. "Are you able to heal yourself like you healed me?" She blushed remembering the exactly what method it was he used to heal her.

"I'm afraid not."

Sailor Mars looked at his forehead. The crescent moon of the Moon Kingdom was always on his forehead. Curiously, she studied it for a few moments. "Who are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know who I am right?"

"Yes, Sailor Mars."

Sailor Mars shook her head. "No, I mean my civilian name. You know who I am, don't you."

Tuxedo Samurai nodded. "Raye."

"Yes, and who are you?"

Tuxedo Samurai glanced to the ground. "I don't know."

"What?"

The dark warrior gazed off into a trance. "I don't know who I am, or where I come from." He sighed. "I am just here to protect you from harm."

"How do you know to protect us?"

"Protect you."

"Protect me?"

Tuxedo Samurai sighed. "Yes, I will help your friends when necessary, but it is my mission to protect you."

"Mission? Who gave you this mission?"

"My heart."

"Your heart?" Sailor Mars grew impatient. "I can't help but feeling like you're avoiding my questions. Who are you and why are you here?"

"I don't know who I am or where I come from. I just end up like this. I don't remember anything between my periods of consciousness. It's like huge gaps of my life are missing. All I have is the memory of you and the battles I have fought."

"I barely even know you!" Sailor Mars spat. "What memories?"

He looked at her. "The dreams."

"Dreams?" She swallowed hard.

"Look, I don't understand it myself." He looked away, turning his eyes in to the fire. "I don't know who I am, but I do know that somewhere and sometime ago we loved each other. I don't know where or when. In a place far away under the stars and the earth…"

"…on the moon," She uttered.

He jerked his head toward her. "You understand what I'm talking about?"

She looked him straight in the eye. "Are you the one in my dreams? Are you the one who visits me almost every night?"

"Yes." He glanced away from her gaze. "It's like I don't have control of what happens, but I can feel everything that is happening." His eyes met her beautiful purple eyes when he looked back at her. "I think the dreams are a reflection of the past."

"How do I know it's really you?"

He leaned forward, ignoring the pain of his side. His arms came up and pulled her into his embrace. She was furious that he was so forward, but she found herself closing her eyes as he kissed her. Her heart stopped. It was the same kiss as the man in the dreams. His lips responded to hers in the exact same way as the man in her dreams. Losing herself in the moment, she responded back to his kiss. It was exactly like the dreams, but she had control. Feelings that seemed new, but ached of familiarity, flooded into her soul. Her arms came up and started wandering around the warrior's shoulders.

Tuxedo Samurai gasped from the aching sting in his side. Sailor Mars jerked back and looked at his side. "You're wounded. You should rest." She tried to recompose herself from such an emotional outburst. It was extremely unlike herself to fall head over heals for a man, and she didn't want to ruin her reputation and pride as a man-hater, but she melted inside from the kisses of this masked man.

They sat in silence for a long time. Tuxedo Samurai uttered a thank you to Sailor Mars for her care. She nodded and said he was welcome, and that was all they said for the rest of the night.


	10. Prison of Ice

**Chapter Ten**

**Prison of Ice**

She was warm, but the cold air against her cheek made her shiver. She fluttered her eyes open. As she sat up, she noticed a black jacket draped over her. She smiled as she glanced over at Tuxedo Samurai. He quietly sat next to the dying fire but glanced over when he noticed the Sailor staring at him.

Sailor Mars lazily opened her tired eyes. "You're better?"

Tuxedo Samurai smirked. "I'm a fast healer."

She scooted closer to the fire and handed the jacket back to Tuxedo Samurai. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He took the black jacket back and put it on. He gazed at the fire for a moment then looked back to Sailor Mars. "Is your ankle still sore?"

Sailor Mars nodded.

"Perhaps I can heal it. Let me see you ankle."

Sailor Mars shifted and stretched out her leg. Her foot rested on Tuxedo Samurai's lap, and he placed his hands on her leg. Blushing deeply, she glanced away from the masked warrior as his hands touched her bare leg. The small dark cave started to glow with a bright white light. Sailor Mars looked back over at Tuxedo Mask. The crescent moon on his forehead was glowing brightly and her leg was surrounded with light. The swelling reduced, and she was able to flex and bend her ankle again. Soon the white light stopped.

"It's better." Sailor Mars smiled in awe.

"Good. I'm glad." He smiled back.

"Well, I guess I should go." Sailor Mars continued to blush as she pulled away from Tuxedo Samurai's hands.

He blushed and removed his hands from her leg. "Sorry."

The Sailor of Fire stood up from the ground. She walked to the corner of the cave towards her backpack. The masked warrior stood up and looked over at the Sailor. "Yes, I should go too."

Sailor Mars grabbed her bag and threw it on. She walked over towards the masked warrior. "Well, I suppose this is goodbye until next time."

He nodded and glanced down for a moment. Then looking back up, he leaned in and placed a kiss on the Sailor of Fire's cheek. He backed away and looked into her eyes. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

He turned around and started to walk out, but he looked back and smiled just before leaving the cave. Sailor Mars smiled and waved as the dark warrior left. She stood there for a few moments. She shook her head and faintly laughed while heading for the exit.

* * *

Her arms ached from hanging above her head. She glanced up and the chains that bound her hands. She shifted to keep her bottom off the cold floor. Her legs ached from lying still for hours if not days. She hung her head low from lack of strength. She jerked her head up a few minutes later as whispers echoed in the ice cavern.

Soon, the door screeched open. Ami looked up. The two guards, grinning from ear to ear, walked over slowly and hovered over the prisoner. One of them unlocked the handcuffs while the other grabbed a hold of her arms. Once she was unlocked, the guards threw her into the floor. She was jerked back up and thrown against the wall. Her back crashed into the wall, but before falling forward, she was pinned against the wall by one of the guards. He crushed her against the wall with his body while his lips went to her neck.

Ami's hand came up and slapped the guard. He backed away for a moment, flabbergasted by the gesture, but shoved her back against the wall in anger. Her head smacked into the wall, and from already being weak, she started to go dizzy.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ami screamed.

"SHUT UP!" The guard screamed back, placing his hands on her shoulders and shoved her into the wall again.

"What do you want with me? Leave me alone!"

The guard grabbed Ami's wrist to keep her from moving. He looked back toward the other guard. "Is anyone coming?"

"No," The other guard apathetically said. "What are you worried about, Zeolite? Beryl said we could do whatever we wanted with her."

Zeolite looked back toward Ami. "You're right." His sinister grin sent shivers up Ami's spine.

The other guard crossed his arms over his chest. "Hurry up, would you?"

"Don't worry! You'll get your chance after I'm done."

"No you won't!" Ami stomped her foot into Zeolite's foot then kneed him, hitting him in the leg. She punched him in the face, and starting running for the gate. The other guard jumped in her way. Getting into a defensive stance, she was ready to attack, but Zeolite grabbed her shoulders from behind and threw her backwards. The other guard quickly grabbed her from behind and grasped her arms tightly.

"Hurry up! Let's stop playing games!" The guard said.

Zeolite rubbed his sore jaw and approached with fury steaming from his breath. He angrily grabbed a hold of Ami's school uniform and tore it violently. "You're going to wish you were never born when I'm done with you!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ami screamed. Frantically, she tried to back away from her attacker, but the other guard had pinned her tightly. The other guard pushed her down to the ground, keeping her arms above her head and still pinned. Zeolite towered above only staring at her with his cold eyes while removing his guard jacket.

Ami tried to squirm again but it was to no avail. Realizing what was happening, Ami tried to squirm harder and break free, but Zeolite quickly jumped on top of her to pin her with his weight. Tears instantly started to stream down the young girls face as a hand started wandering over her midriff.

"GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ami kept squirming and screaming. Zeolite quickly reached up and grabbed a handful of Ami's hair. He picked up her head and shoved it right back into the hard ground. Her thoughts jumbled into one big headache in an instant. She tried screaming again, but it was silenced by his lips. More fear seized her as he pulled his attention away. The jingling of the metal on his belt made her heart skip a beat. She screamed the names of her friends in her mind, but no matter how hard she thought of them, they were still dimensions apart. The tears were hot and heavy. She closed her eyes. There was no hope.

"What's going on here?" A voice barked.

"None of your business!" Zeolite hollered while stopping.

The other guard was staring forward towards the door. "Uh, Zeolite, you might…"

Before Zeolite could even look, he felt himself being lifted up off the ground. Soon his body flew through the air with impressive force and crashed into the wall. He hit the wall so hard that his head cracked against the wall, and he died from the impact.

The other guard let go of Ami and stood up trembling. "Please, Sire, we didn't mean you any disrespect. Queen Beryl said we could do whatever we please with her…" He was quickly silenced with a blade slashing across his chest. He however, was still alive, and would live if someone ever found him deep in the ice cavern prison, but chances of that were slim.

Through her cloudy teary eyes, Ami looked up. Towering above her, the dark blue haired man stood with his sword. He sheathed his sword then kneeled down. Ami soon felt an arm behind her neck and under her knees. He lifted the girl into his arms and walked out of the cell with her.

* * *

One by one the Sailor scouts passed around the dark red stone. It was the color of the finest rubies in the entire world.

"How's this supposed to help us?" Lita asked, examining the crystal closely while squinting one eye.

"I don't know." Raye shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe just having it in our possession will help?"

"Hmmm, I doubt it. Every time we find something new or we morph to a different level, it's quite a flashy show." Mina stroked the top of Artemis' head as he sat in her lap.

The Sailors nodded and agreed with Mina's statement.

Luna, who was batting the computer keys with her paws, searched for an answer but seemed to find none about using the Planet Crystals. "I don't know either. Ami's computer has nothing."

"Have you been able to lock in a location on Ami's whereabouts?" Artemis raised his head.

"No, I have no signal."

"Does that mean…" Serena trailed off.

Lita slammed her hands against the table. "If those Nega-scum hurt her in any way, I'll…I'll…" Tears started to run down her face.

Raye nodded solemnly while looking at Lita. "We all feel that way, but we can't get her back by just sitting here."

"What do you think we should do?" Serena asked.

Raye crossed her arms, slightly annoyed that the Sailor's leader wasn't making a plan, but proud because everyone looked to her for advice. "Well, I'm going to try and read the fire. Maybe I can get some answers there."

"Yeah, I suppose I should go home and arrange a time to go to Osaka and get my Planet Crystal," Mina said.

The Sailors agreed on a plan of action and spilt up from Raye's room. Mina and Lita went to work on travel plans while the two cats kept searching for files on the computer. Serena, of course, went home to take a nap.

Changing into her miko uniform, Raye glanced around her empty room while processing her thoughts from the day. She was completely exhausted—sleeping in a cave wasn't comfortable, but other thoughts brought her tired lips into a smile. Looking around the room, her eyes settled on the picture of Daita in his soccer uniform. She pondered at the picture for a few moments then thought back to the mysterious warrior. She shook her head from her childish thoughts. "I'm sure Tuxedo Samurai and I aren't like Darien and Serena at all." She looked back to the picture of Daita. "I just need to stop living in a fantasy world. Nobody lives happily ever after." She looked back over toward her bed. On the floor, her backpack rested. Remembering the other items, she walked over and pulled them out of her bag—the book and the doll. She gazed over the ratty doll for a few moments. She had never seen it before. She laid it on her pillow and turned her attention toward the book. Unwinding the piece of leather on it, she curiously opened the cover of the book. On the inside cover was a sketch of a cherry tree with branches stretching over the cover's blankness. On the bottom, in kanji, read _Sakura Himura_. Raye gasped. She quickly flipped through the pages that revealed art and many words of writing. It was her mother's diary.

She looked back towards the front cover. She read the date and quickly did the math in her head. This journal was almost 20 years old. Her mother was 18, just like her, when she wrote this journal. Quickly, Raye scanned through the pages.

_Nov 18 _

_Dear Diary,_

_I don't understand why father has to be so difficult. Why is he always trying to hire any girl that looks pretty? _

Raye smirked as she read the line. "Same old grandpa."

_It's really embarrassing. Anyway, I guess I'll just have to put up with the man. After all, I know he loves me. _

Raye skipped ahead in the diary towards the end.

_May 4_

_Dear Diary,_

_Am I doing the right thing? It's not the thing I want to do, but I really believe for the greater good it must be done. I can't believe this is happening. What misfortune has come upon our family? Being forced to unite with the Hino family or losing our beloved temple? I don't want to marry Ryo. I barely know him, and what I do know of him is terrible. But if I don't, Grandpa will lose the temple. This temple has been in our family too long. I can't let that happen. I will just do what is best for our family. If this is the way I can serve, then I will. It was on arranged marriage this temple was founded, and it will be on arranged married this temple will be saved. I will not let my family be disappointed. Perhaps somehow I can learn to love Ryo-san. I don't know if it's possible, but at least I know I did my duty. _

Raye stopped reading the journal. Tears started to form in her eyes. She closed the book and wiped away her tears. She stuffed the journal under her pillow then picked up the small doll. It was sown out of a cloth material and stuffed with wool. It had a red dress and long black hair. It was small—it just fit in her hand. She stood up from the bed and walked out of her room with the doll.

* * *

He stormed angrily out of the courtroom. Azariah was praised for her efforts for defeating Sailor Mars and Tuxedo Samurai while he was scolded for his failure. It was one thing to fail, but to fail to Azariah, was another. As he charged down the long and dark hallways, the person he wished to see the least appeared in his path.

"Get out of my way!" Kaiba hissed.

She grinned, the same grin that made his skin crawl. "What's the matter, Kaiba? Sad that I got all the glory, and you didn't?"

"What glory? You didn't even kill them! You got lucky!"

Azariah crossed her arms. "The fact is they're dead all because of me—no matter if it was luck or not."

"Just get out of my way!" He charged past her.

"Kaiba!" Azariah laughed. "Come on! Why do you have to be so grumpy all the time?" She disappeared and reappeared in front of Kaiba.

Kaiba stopped himself to keep from crashing into the Fire General. "Would you leave me alone?"

Azariah wrapped her arms around the Ice General's neck. "You're tense. You want me to give you my…" She giggled just before kissing his earlobe.

"Get away from me!" He screamed, pushing the girl to the floor.

Surprised, she looked up at him rubbing her sore elbow from hitting the hard ground. "What was that for?"

"I told you to leave me alone!" Kaiba stormed off.

Azariah shook her head and stood up. Brushing off the dust from her clothing, she pondered deeply while staring off down the hallway where Kaiba disappeared. "He's never refused me this long before. Something is wrong."

The Ice General stormed into his room. Angrily, he punched into an ice stalagmite and shattered it into a million pieces. Any items in his way were quickly turned to pieces. In frustration, the warrior would frequently scream and grab his head. Falling onto his bed, he curled into a fetal position and kept screaming while holding his head. Soon screams became gasps for air as hot and heavy tears poured from his eyes.

She laid their silently hardly able to move, but constantly conscious of the pain of the Ice General. He had put her in the corner of the bedroom and left her there. The floor was cold and hard, and she was barely wearing anything but the tattered remains of her clothing. After a few minutes, the General grew quiet. She sneezed—the sound echoing through the room. It was an accident, she didn't mean to sneeze, and her worse fears came true when she heard footsteps coming closer. The Ice General had crawled off his bed and started walking towards her. Her heart started to pound as if it was going to leap out of her chest. Surely, she would die here if since she hasn't been killed yet by the Negaverse. Glancing up, she saw the General, with red puffy eyes, studying her with his eyes. He soon bent down and picked her up into his arms. Not knowing what else to do, she closed her eyes as if she fainted. One arm cradled her head while the other went under her knees. He took her into his arms and carried her across the room. The next she knew she was laid on a soft and warm surface. It was the bed.

"Oh, gods, no!" She mentally screamed. She faintly opened one eye when she heard his footsteps move away. His back was turned while he dug around in a set of drawers made of ice. She closed her eye again when he turned back around. She felt a hand go around her wrist and her arm raised. Kaiba threw her arm around his neck and lifted Ami's upper body up off the bed. He tucked her other arm into a warm piece of cloth then did the same for the other. He buttoned up the long sleeved jacket then laid her upper body back down. He took off the shoes she was wearing and replaced them with heavy socks. She was mortified as he ripped the remaining portion of her skirt off, but he replaced it with a pair of pants that matched the jacket he put on her. She looked fit to be a Negaverse General, but it was a lot warmer that her tattered school uniform. Lastly, he grabbed a hold of the blanket and ripped it out from under her body. He then covered the girl up and tried to tuck her in, not doing a very good job. As he leaned over her, he stopped for a moment to study the delicate features on the Sailor's face. Ami almost twinged from Kaiba's warm breath against her face, but she managed to hold still. He pulled away and walked to the other side of the room. He threw off his trench coat and undid the belt that held his sword, the Excalibur. The bed was large so when he got into the other side, he was a safe distance away from the girl; however, Ami blushed deeply because she was sharing a bed with a man.

* * *

Raye walked into the kitchen for dinner holding the little doll that she had found. Her Grandfather, as usual, was reading the newspaper while Kyoji stood over at the stove cooking. Frequently, Raye and her Grandfather would fight over the cooking, but their new Priest enjoyed cooking greatly and did it almost every night. As much as Raye couldn't stand the idea of having the boy there, she had to admit that he was an excellent chief of Japanese cuisine.

The young Priest served his master first then his master's daughter, taking what was left for himself, which usually Raye made sure it wasn't the best of the dishes. She would take all the shrimp and not eat it just to spite the boy, but he never seemed to mind at all. He looked perfectly happy with what was left. Nevertheless, she'd find a way to irk him and drive him out of her temple somehow.

"Pass the tea, boy," Grandpa said.

Kyoji laid his chopsticks down and poured his master a cup of tea then resumed eating after he was finished.

"How is school, Raye?" Grandpa asked, continuing to read the paper.

"Fine." She mumbled, with rice in her mouth.

Grandpa turned the page. "Kyoji, how is school?"

"Fine, sir."

"Fine?" Grandpa laid down his paper. "What does fine mean?"

Kyoji shrugged his shoulders. "It's fine. Almost the end of the semester."

"Ah, yes, it is December isn't it?" Grandpa pondered for a moment. "Raye, it's perfect!"

Raye looked up from her rice bowl. "What's perfect?"

"You have a date for the Winter Formal this year!" Grandpa looked over at Kyoji. "She came home crying her eyes out because nobody asked her last year…"

"Grandpa!" Raye hollered.

"You can take her this year, Kyoji."

Kyoji looked up from his rice. "What?"

Raye threw down her chopsticks and crossed her arms. "Excuse me, my BOYFRIEND will be taking me to the Winter Formal."

"Ah, yes. That blockhead called five times yesterday. Something about your date…"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Raye hollered.

"I didn't know where you were." Grandpa shrugged his shoulders. "I was looking for you all last night, and I couldn't find you. I figured you were off with one of your friends…you know that really pretty one…"

"Serina?"

"Yeah, that's her."

"Yes, I was at Serina's house!" Raye lied. "But, that doesn't mean you shouldn't give me my phone messages!"

"You'll get over it. Besides, you don't need any dates. I got you a man right here." Grandpa slapped Kyoji on the shoulder. The boy coughed hard since he was slapped while swallowing.

Raye wrinkled her nose. "You can forget it." She picked up her chopsticks again and started eating.

They sat in silence for a few moments until Kyoji curiously stared over at the doll on Raye's seat. Grandpa saw Kyoji staring at something then looked over himself. "What in the world?" HE reached over toward Raye.

"What?" Raye asked.

"That doll," Grandpa marveled.

Raye picked it up and handed it to her Grandfather. "I found it in the back of the property by the woods. Do you know who's it is?"

Grandpa cradled the doll in his hands. Faint tears started to form in the old man's eyes. "Your grandmother made this for your mother when she was a little girl." Grandpa wearily got up from his seat and headed out of the kitchen. Raye and Kyoji looked at each other in wonder, and Raye got up to follow her grandfather. She found the old man in the living room sitting next to the fireplace with the doll.

"Grandpa?"

He didn't answer.

Raye stood in the archway of the living room while she watched over her Grandfather. Kyoji came up behind her. "Raye-san, is your Grandfather alright?" He whispered.

She glanced back with an annoyed look on her face. "It's none of your business. Go away!"

Kyoji nodded and walked away.

Raye looked back toward her grandfather and rested her head against the wall.


	11. Feelings

**Chapter Eleven**

**Feelings**

They managed to laugh despite the difficult times. Ami was still gone with no trace, but they found some happiness in each other's company. They giggled as they watched the mysterious woman devour her lunch. The woman looked up from her sandwich, mayonnaise smeared above her lip. "What?"

Michelle faintly laughed, shoulders shaking while covering her mouth. "It's nothing." She giggled. "We've just never seen you this hungry, Trista."

"I'm eating for two, remember?" She took another bite.

Serina grabbed the cherry off the top of her ice cream sundae and licked it. "Two? It looks like you're eating for ten."

"Like you can talk, Serina!" Raye spat. Trista had looked up, but Raye had blurted out the comment before she could say anything.

"What do you mean by that?" Serina glared at Raye, but the waiter came by. "Ah, yes, I have another plate of French fries, please."

Raye rolled her eyes. "How can you even ask?"

Amara cleared her throat. "Anyway, I suppose we should get down to business."

Lita nodded and sat up in the booth. "Right. What progress have you made?"

Amara jug into her jacket pocket, and Michelle dug into her purse. Together, they each pulled out a crystal and revealed it to the others.

"Wow!" Mina exclaimed while gazing over the Planet Crystals. The crystal in Michelle's hand was a very light blue while the one in Amara's hand was a bright yellow. "Have you figured out how to use them yet?"

Michelle shook her head. "No, we have no idea."

Trista shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea either. I didn't know that was what happened to the life-force when the Rebirth happened." She sighed then moved on to her salad.

"There's so much that does make any sense." Lita pondered deeply. "We don't know how Beryl is still alive, we don't know who this Moon Prince is that they want, and we don't know where Ami is…" Lita started to choke up.

Trista looked up from her salad. "Moon Prince?"

"Yeah, the Negaverse keeps asking for some Moon Prince." Lita shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea what they're talking about."

"They want the Moon Prince?" Trista dropped her fork and stopped eating. "Of course he would have been reborn too." She covered her forehead with her hand.

"You know him?" Mina asked.

"Well, I know about him."

Serina looked over into Trista's eyes. "Trista, I don't understand. I thought I was…" She trailed off for a moment. "Who is he?"

"Back in the Silver Millennium, you had a brother…"

"A brother?" All the Sailors gasped.

Trista nodded. "Yes, a brother, but he wasn't your biological brother. He was actually your cousin."

Serina looked down to the table. "My cousin."

Trista continued. "Your cousin on your mother's side I believe. Yes, that's right. He was the son of your mother's younger sister, Princess Charity. I don't know much else except for the fact that Queen Serenity adopted him after the death of his parents."

"So that would make him a Moon Prince?" Mina asked.

"Well, he was already a Prince in his own right. He was second to the throne, only to Princess Serenity herself. In the Silver Millennium, he was actually general of the Moon Kingdom Army and the Moon's Greatest Champion."

"Do you know who he is?" Lita asked.

Trista shook her head. "I assume he was reborn just like all of you."

"So the Negaverse wants the reborn Moon Prince." Amara stated.

"But why?" Serina asked. "I don't understand why they're obsessed with finding him? What good is he for them?"

"I don't know," Trista said.

Serina rubbed her temples. "None of this makes any sense."

* * *

The four Generals had been called into the courtroom. They stood silently as Beryl hovered over the pool in the center of the room—her back turned to them and tension filling the air. They waited, pain staking moment after moment for her to move, but she did nothing.

"Queen Beryl, why did you call us here?" Azariah stepped forward, walking straight up to Beryl.

The Generals jumped in surprise as the dark Queen spun around and grabbed a hold of Azariah's neck. She lifted the Fire General off the ground and dug her long nails into the girl's neck.

"My…my…Q…Q…Queen…ah…" Azariah barely gasped. "P…Pl…Pl…Please!"

The rest of the court stood silently. A mix of pleasure and fear washed over the rest of the generals. Of course they hated Azariah, but knowing that Beryl could turn her rage against them made their hearts pound.

The Fire General started to turn purple in the face from the lack of oxygen. She coughed and choked hard while kicking her legs.

"Your majesty, perhaps you shouldn't do that." Alexandrite spoke up. "After all, our plans are not complete yet."

Beryl squeezed harder then threw the girl to the ground. "My plans will never be accomplished with incompetent fools such as this! Did you think you'd get away with it?"

Azariah looked up at the Queen, gasping for air.

"SAILOR MARS IS STILL ALIVE!" Beryl screamed, making the cave shake. She kicked Azariah in the stomach, making the girl cough even more. "You lied to me! And liars shall be punished severely!" Beryl motioned to the guards. "Take her to the Pit!"

The guards grabbed the Fire General and dragged her weak body of the room.

"A few days in there should straighten her out."

The Generals stood hesitant. Kaiba bit his lip while he pondered. The Pit was the worst torture imaginable. Kaiba glanced over at Kanejiro, the possessed General. Kanejiro's condition was the result of the Pit. The thoughts even made him shutter.

"Alexandrite!" The Queen hollered.

"Yes, Majesty?"

"You will be sent into battle next. Strategize and plan. I want the Moon Prince, and I want Sailor Mars dead."

Alexandrite bowed. "Yes, majesty."

"Go now."

The General of Wind bowed and made her exit from the room. The Possessed General left behind her, leaving Beryl and the Ice General alone in the courtroom. Kaiba looked to the floor. Spattered drops of blood rested on the floor from Azariah's wounds to her neck. The dark Queen ignored his presence and turned back to the opal colored waters.

Kaiba stepped forward. "Queen Beryl, I…"

"Do you know why these things are important, Kaiba?" She asked, gazing deeply into the water.

"They ensure the survival of the Negaverse—of you, Queen Beryl."

"Exactly! And I wonder if your failures reflect on your attitude towards me…"

"My Queen, I would never!" Kaiba interrupted, which clearly annoyed the Queen.

"Azariah lied to me. Sailor Mars is still alive."

"I am not Azariah, my Queen. I wouldn't lie to you."

"Good." The dark Queen looked to her side to see her apprentice standing next to her. "I'm glad to see we have an understanding between us."

Kaiba nodded. "In that respect, would you tell me the truth?"

The Queen gazed on him, interested. "And what would that be?"

"Who am I? Where did I come from?" Kaiba looked into the pool. "What is my name?"

The Queen looked away. She pondered silently for a few moments then sighed. "You don't have a name-only what I gave you. You are a creation of the Negaverse. No soul, conscious, or spirit—you are a machine only created to kill."

Kaiba shook his head. "Yes, I know that, but I don't understand. Why do I have these feelings, these urges…"

The Queen jerked her head towards Kaiba. "Feelings?"

"I…I…mean…not feelings…no I…" Kaiba shook his head. "I'm sorry, I'm imagining things."

"Understandable you want to mimic the humans around you. You've been spending too much time in the mortal world. It's obviously not been good for you."

"Perhaps you're right." Kaiba nodded.

"I am right." Queen Beryl kept her eyes on the pool. "Go to your room and sleep. Then when you feel better, go execute a few prisoners and see how you feel."

"Yes, thank you, your majesty." Kaiba bowed and exited the room.

The old Queen pondered hard for a few moments. "Guard!"

One of the guards walked over from the entrance of the courtroom. "Yes, Queen?"

"Watch General Kaiba closely for the next few days."

"Yes, My Queen, and what if your suspicions are correct?"

The Queen thought to herself for a moment. "Then we'll just have to throw him in the pit too."

Meanwhile, Ami quickly scurried around the room looking for supplies. If she had any chance to escape, it would be now. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest, but her fears came true when the door screeched open. She dropped her bag and hit behind the ice stalagmites in the room. Again, the man came into the room furiously punching and kicking the walls. With every blow into the ice wall, he would scream and moan. Frequently, he would grab his head then in frustration hit something else.

She peeked out from the ice wall and watched the tortured man. Instead of fear, sympathy ached in her heart. "What is wrong with him? Why is he acting like this?" She wondered to herself. Compassion gripped her heart even more. "What happened to him?" She kept watching silently as he completely destroyed the bedroom. Another scream escaped his mouth, and he punched the ice wall as hard as he could. He screamed again. His arm had gone through the wall and the sharp jagged ice cut his arm, but he couldn't feel the pain. He pulled his arm out of the wall and moaned again.

Without thinking, the Sailor stepped out from her hiding position and timidly walked out into the light. She gazed at the wounded man for a few seconds—he hadn't noticed her yet, then she spoke. "Are you alright?"

He uncovered his face with his hands and looked at the girl. He slowly held out his bleeding arm. "Why can't I just feel something?" He fell to the ground and cracked his head into the wall. "Why?"

Ami rushed down to his side and grabbed a hold of his arm. "Come on now. Let me see this. You've hurt yourself badly."

He sat silently as the girl started to work on cleaning the deep cuts on his arm. She held down cloth on them to keep them from bleeding anymore.

They had sat in silence for many hours after she had wrapped his wounds. He merely sat on the floor in the same position starting in wonder at his wrapped arm. She was on the floor too—at first she was next to him, but after time had passed, she was slowly backing up from him.

She bit her lip. Over and over she practiced how to say one little sentence, but she couldn't manage to speak. Finally, she gulped and opened her mouth. "How is your arm?"

He looked at it, gazing over the wrapping. "It's fine, Mizuno-san. Thank you."

"You remember me?"

"Of course. How could I forget the worst student I ever taught?" He looked over at her with a smirk on his face. She couldn't help but laugh. A laugh—how she hadn't laughed in what seemed like weeks. She stopped herself in shame. Fraternizing with the enemy? She should have let him hurt himself. Perhaps he would have died, and she could have escaped. She shook her head. "No, that isn't the Sailor way. I must always be honorable," She thought to herself.

"Do you wish me dead?" Kaiba spoke up.

Ami jumped. "No,"

"Your thoughts are an open book to me."

"You can read minds?" Ami asked, hesitantly.

Kaiba shook his head. "Almost, but not quite." He looked back over at her. "I can sense your feelings, but not the exact dialogue in your mind."

"But you can control my mind, can't you?"

"No, only the weak minded."

She gulped again and spoke weakly, barely finding the strength to utter the words. "What did you do to me when we were alone in the classroom?"

He looked her in the eye for a few moments. "I read your soul."

The answer almost wanted to make her cry. Remembering the misery it caused her, she bit her lip to keep from crying. "Why did you do that to me?" Her efforts were of no avail, tears poured from her eyes. "Did you realize it hurt me? It hurt me more than anything in the entire world?" He looked away—she wondered if it was guilt, but continued to press him with her eyes for an answer.

While he looked away, he pondered deeply for an answer. "It only hurt because you have never let anyone into your soul before."

"What are you talking about?"

"You've never learned to love or to trust anyone enough to let them into the deepest part of your soul. Your heart is walled like a fortress, and letting someone in is painful."

"And what makes you think you had the right to force yourself into that place?" Ami asked, tears pouring down her cheeks and anger seething in her voice.

Kaiba looked over with a smirk—his arrogance made her even more irate. "Expressing your true emotions will be your first step."

Her anger slightly relented. He was right. She expressed her anger to anyone, and now here she was, venting her anger to someone. "Why did you kidnap me and bring me to the Negaverse?" She paused for a moment to reflect then she looked back to him. "And why did you save me from the guards?"

He was silent for a few moments. "Because I feel something when you're around."

"Feel something? What do you mean?"

"I always feel so cold and empty, but when you're around…" He looked at her. "I feel calmed. I feel peace. It's like a storm that subsides when you're around."

"I don't understand." Ami shook her head. "I have friends, family, a life back on Earth. I can't be here with you! I don't want to be here with you!"

Kaiba looked to his feet. "Your relationship with your mother is lacking, your friends don't understand you, people think you're stuck up, and that loser boy you like isn't man enough…"

"That's enough!" Ami snapped, angry that he knew those things. "You have no right to snoop into my life!"

"Those are things I just observed." He shook his shoulders. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

"Just stop! Stop pretending like I should feel sorry for you!" Ami stood up off the ground. "The Negaverse tried to kill Raye, you've attacked innocent people like Shoji and Daita, and…and…you're nothing but pure evil!"

The Ice General sat silently for a few moments. He stared at the palms of his hands. "Yes, I am a monster."

Wishing she wouldn't have been so harsh, she thought of kinder words to say but nothing could come to mind to erase the blow. "Look, I'm sorry…I…"

"I have shed so much blood. It screams at me—haunting me in my dreams nightly. I'm supposed to kill—kill unmercifully, without hesitation, but I…" He paused for a few moments. "I'm supposed to be evil and heartless, but why do I feel the guilt about to swallow me whole?" He paused again. "I never used to feel this way. I was just always cold and empty, but now I feel it—guilt, remorse, shame."

"When did you start feeling like this?"

He looked up. "When I met you."

"Those aren't exactly good feelings, you know."

He looked at her with intensity and passion, as almost as if he were going to cry. "But they are feelings. All my life I thought I was born to kill—that I merely existed for destruction, but when I met you, I felt guilt and remorse for the things I have done. If I truly am a killer, then I should have no regret for my nature—for what I was created for. But since I do, then I must not be what I thought I was. I must be something else…" He paused. "Maybe I'm good."

Ami pondered at the General's logic. Were we not all created for a specific reason? Wasn't destiny written in Heaven? She looked over at the General. "You're right. All are called to live lives of good, not evil."

They sat in silence for a few moments. As she reflected, tears started to come to her eyes again. After a few moments, the General noticed the small trickles she tried to hide from him. "What is wrong?" He already knew, but figured it would be better to ask.

"Yes, my relationship with my mother is strained, but I still love her. I miss her more than anything." The tears streamed. "I miss my friends."

"The Sailor Scouts."

She nodded. "Yes."

Kaiba leaned his head back again the wall. The dark blue locks of hair fell over his face. He closed his bright blue eyes and thought for a few moments. Ami kept her eyes on him. He looked different now. What was once her nemesis, her torturer, seemed so different than before. As she stared at the man, she scolded herself for her thoughts and shook her head.

He opened his eyes and gently turned his head toward her, locking his eyes with hers. "Mizuno-san, I shall take you home."

"Home? You'll take me back to Earth?"

He nodded.

"But, I don't have my Sailor pen."

"I'll get it."

"How?"

Kaiba sighed. "I'll have to steal it."

"From Beryl?" Ami gasped. "If she finds you, she'll kill you."

Kaiba shrugged his shoulders.

"Kaiba," She uttered his name.


	12. The Return of Sailor Mercury

**Chapter Twelve **

**The Return of Sailor Mercury**

She looked out the window as the countryside zoomed by. She stared off into the horizon towards the great mountains that ran through the interior of Japan. Whenever she traveled, she loved to look out the window and watch the scenery go by like blur. She turned away from the window and looked at him. He sat quietly with his hands folded, and his eyes closed. Feeling as if he was being watched, he opened one eye. He faintly smiled, and she reciprocated then turned back to the window. Propping her head up with her fist and pressing her nose against the glass, she sighed deeply while glazing over the mountains.

She remembered traveling a few months earlier to Yokohama for a mathematics competition with Shoji. Whenever there were on trains, he'd always take the window seat, but Kaiba seemed perfectly content with the aisle seat except for when the drink cart hit his elbows. She tried to trade with him after he was hit three times, but he knew without her even saying anything that she wanted to sit and look out the window.

It was ironic. She was on a train ride with a Negaverse General traveling from the interior of Japan to Tokyo. She couldn't have imagined the circumstances, but she smiled at her situation. Her whole life was predictable and dull she thought, but being somewhere different with someone unusual was refreshing—almost liberating.

The faint traces of his reflection shined in the window. She tilted her head back a little to see the reflection better. His wild locks of dark blue hair draped over his face into his eyes. He was calm and peaceful like a baby as he rested in the chair. He hardly seemed like the Ice General that had attacked the Sailor Scouts merely weeks ago. He seemed so vulnerable, lost, and perhaps somewhat normal now. His presence was also awkward to her. Sure she had spent countless hours alone with Shoji studying, but being alone with Kaiba was different. He was a grown man. She blushed, seeing the red of her cheeks in the reflection of the glass.

Her thoughts turned to her father. Sure, they loved each other—in their own disconnected way. Yes, they were father and daughter, but it was a shallow love, with no roots or depth. She barely saw her father, and because of it, she reasoned, she also felt uncomfortable in the presence of men. She glanced over, but not wanting to turn her head, she caught sight of Kaiba's hand on his knee. Kaiba was probably the first grown man she had spent any quality time with.

Deciding to do something productive, she dug into a small bag that Kaiba had given to her. She dug out her Sailor pen that Kaiba managed to steal from Queen Beryl's throne room, and the blue crystal they had found earlier this morning. Taking advantage of the Negaverse teleportation system, Kaiba and her first traveled to the Shinano prefecture to find her Planet Crystal. Once it was found, they charged train tickets to Ami's mother's account and headed for Tokyo. She held the deep blue stone in her hand. She didn't feel any power from it, but this was the item that Tuxedo Samurai told them to get. It was actually the aid of Kaiba's abilities that helped her find the stone. She glanced over at him again.

"What did I do to change him?" Ami thought to herself. "I'm nothing special." She looked away. "I'm glad he's come to his senses, but I don't understand how I could have done such a thing." She dismissed her thoughts and grabbed a magazine from the pouch in the seat in front of her. After a while, Kaiba had opened his eyes and started to stare at the pages of the magazine. He squinted his eyes and cocked his head. Ami looked over at him. "What?"

"Nothing." He turned his head to the aisle sharply.

Ami thought deeply. She remembered that look—it was the same look he made when looking at her class' history book, but strangely, she was becoming acute to his expressions and feelings just as he was to hers. "You don't know how to read, do you?"

He looked down to his lap, blushing furiously. "What are you talking about?"

Ami lifted up the magazine and pointed to a sentence of kanji. "What does this say?"

"Why would I care, Mizuno-san?" He looked away.

Without realizing, she reached forward and placed her hand over his. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. You weren't taught how to read, were you?"

He glanced over, still red. "It was a mistake to come here."

"Why?"

He shook his head. "I don't belong here. You have your own lives and way of doing things. Look at me! I'm a Negaverse flunkie!" He shook his head again. "I can't live here."

"You're not apart of the Negaverse anymore."

"It's all I know. Killing is all I know. I don't know how to be anything else. I don't know how to fit into this world."

"Then you'll learn."

He pulled back his trench coat to reveal his Excalibur to her. "This blade has been the death of countless innocent. The sword is all I know how to live by."

Ami looked him in the eye. "You are what you choose to be. You can choose to be good and learn to be something better or you can choose to be evil and be what everyone has always told you." She paused for a moment. "What are you going to choose, Kaiba?"

He sat silently for a few moments then drifted his eyes to the magazine page. "So those little pictures actually mean something?"

Ami sat up in her seat and held the magazine over to Kaiba. "Yes, and those pictures are actually called Kanji. Now, not all of them are Kanji. Some of them are Katakana and some are Hiragana. Those are the three character styles of the Japanese language."

"Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana." Kaiba repeated.

Ami nodded. "Yes. Kanji is based off…" She continued to teach Kaiba the basic elements of Japanese writing while the train sped toward Tokyo.

* * *

She wondered how someone like her could have the worst luck in the world. Bad things always seemed to happen to her. She sighed and picked up her chopsticks while reading over her textbook. She had spent the last few nights at school working on a project for her literature class. Unfortunately, her betrothed was in the same class as her and working on the same project. The class was reading Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_ and was supposed to perform an adaptation for the class.

In the booth across from Raye, Kyoji sat reading his copy of the script. Since they wouldn't finish until late at night, Raye and Kyoji ended up walking home together most nights. They usually walked in silence until one of them suggested where they ate, and then they would eat in silence. This time, they ended up at a small noodle shop tucked away in a back alley—Raye would always choose the most discreet locations.

Raye looked around the dimly lit restaurant. There was hardly anyone there—only an old man at the counter and a waitress wiping down the tables after a long night. She turned her head back when Kyoji cleared his throat. "What part are you going to try out for?"

"Why do you care?"

He shrugged. "I was just wondering."

Raye glanced away. "I don't think I'm trying out for one."

"Why not?" He looked up from his script.

His voice, which was usually not forceful, surprised her for a moment. "I just don't think I'd be any good at it."

"But you love literature and theater. Why aren't you going to try out for a part?"

She sat stunned for a moment. She never told him that. "What makes you think that?"

He thought for a moment. "You look genuinely happy when we work on it in class."

She looked to the table. It was true—it did make her happy, but she shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter. I'm sure everyone will be fighting over the parts tomorrow anyway."

Kyoji looked back to his rice. "I still think you should try."

Raye crossed her arms. "Well, what about you, Mister Advice columnist?" She asked, not liking the fact he so forward with her.

"I'm not much of an actor."

"Well, maybe you should follow your own advice?"

He looked up. "I can't."

"And why not?"

He looked towards the inner wall of the booth. A wood-block print of a Japanese bridge in the rain hung on the wall while the light from the paper lantern above their heads danced across the wall. "I'm too shy," He said quietly, hints of fear and nervousness mixed in his voice.

Raye huffed. "That's a lame excuse." She felt somewhat sorry for saying after he glanced over at her with his sad blue eyes. She looked away from them for a moment then glanced back over after his eyes had wandered away. His eyes were the deepest and purest blue she had ever seen. His eyes looked extremely familiar, yet so unique and different she couldn't believe she would have forgotten if she had ever seen eyes like that before. But, his eyes always reflected sadness and pain, as if something was constantly on his mind and eating away at his soul. She leaned back in the booth and studied him for a few moments. Was he really sad or did he just look sad? She looked away towards the windows. The first snowflakes of winter started to gently float down from the heavens. After a few moments, Kyoji turned towards the window then glanced at his watch. It was almost 10PM.

"I suppose we should get back home."

Raye turned toward him sharply. "It's not your home."

He said nothing and got up out of the booth. He walked over to the counter and paid for the meal. Raye got up from the booth and grabbed her purse. She pulled out a few yen and held it out for Kyoji to take as he passed by. He glanced at her hand, but walked past to the door. "Forget it," He said, dryly. Somewhat contrite for her remark earlier, she followed gingerly behind him out of the restaurant while stuffing the yen back into her purse.

It had grown colder as time passed on that night. She bundled up her coat and held her arms over her chest. Her warm breath quickly fluttered away from the cold zephyr. The streets were dark, only to be lit up by an occasional neon sign, or a lamppost as they walked through the commercial areas into the residential areas. He charged back to the Temple in a pace that was faster than he usually went. She had trouble keeping up with him, but she eventually caught up to him as they waited at a stoplight of a major road.

She shivered and rubbed her hands up and down her arms to keep warm. Her teeth even started chattering. He glanced over, seeing how miserable she looked, then started to remove his coat. She looked at him surprised when he offered his coat, and she gingerly took it with a faint smile. After a few more minutes of waiting, they finally were able to cross the busy street. The rest of the walk was in silence even after they reached the Temple. They parted—him to the right and her to the left. She slowly stepped onto the deck, walked to her door, and quietly entered into her bedroom. As she stood in her room alone in the dark, she wrapped her arms around her body and held herself tightly, nesting her face into the coat. She breathed in and took in his scent. Not only did it make her feel warm, but for some reason, in that moment, it made her feel safe and even loved.

She mentally scolded herself and quickly stripped the coat off. She tossed it haphazardly into the corner and started to get ready for bed—still scolding herself.

* * *

They had arrived in Tokyo and stepped off the train. They carried what little luggage they had through the train station. Wearily Kaiba walked through the station behind Ami while looking up and everything. He still wasn't used to mingling with the crowds of people like a normal human being. Ami turned around once she noticed that Kaiba wasn't behind her.

"Everything okay?"

He looked away from the high ceilings. "I'm fine, Mizuno-san." He kept looking around as the crowds passed around him. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"We should go to my house first."

He nodded.

They exited the train station and headed towards Ami's house by taxi. They eventually reached the house and walked up to the front door. Ami paused for a moment as she grabbed a hold of the door handle. "It feels like ages since I've been here."

"How much time has passed in this world?"

"I don't know." Ami turned the handle and opened the door. She stepped into her house. It was still and quiet. "Mom? Are you here? Mom?" She walked into the living room and looked around. "I guess she's not here." She looked back toward Kaiba standing in the doorway. "You can come in."

Kaiba stepped into the house and looked around. Ami went into the kitchen and looked around. After looking at the clock that provided the time and the date, she walked over to the refrigerator. "It's been two weeks." She looked at Kaiba after looking in the fridge. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

"Yes."

"Sit down." Ami dug into the fridge. Kaiba sat down on the couch and glanced the around the living room. It was the first mortal house he had ever been in. After a few minutes, Ami came into the living room with a glass of lemonade and sandwich on a plate. She handed them to Kaiba. He took a bite of the sandwich then a drink of the lemonade.

"How is it?"

He faintly smiled. "It's good."

Ami smiled back. "Good." She walked away. "Well, I'm going to get in the shower and change my clothes. I'll try to find something suitable for you to wear, but I don't know if we have anything."

Kaiba nodded. "Alright."

He waited for what seemed like forever. He finished his sandwich quickly and wished he had another, but he sat quietly as he waited. She had already gone up stairs and got in the shower. She scrubbed the dirt and oil off her skin and washed her matted hair wit shampoo and conditioner. It felt like pure bliss—as if she was peeling out of layers. She finished quickly, hoping her mother wouldn't run into Kaiba alone down stairs. She dried herself off and headed into her bedroom. There was one of her school uniforms that she laid out before she was kidnapped. She tossed away the Negaverse clothing in the garbage, and she grabbed her uniform. She put it on and headed out of her room. She remembered that for some reason, her mother kept a box of her father's old clothes. Perhaps something in there would fit Kaiba. She opened her mother's bedroom door and stepped in. "Mom?" Ami walked over to the bed.

Her mother rested peaceful in the bed with a strange glowing light around her. Ami touched her mother's forehead. "Serina must have put a sleep spell on her when I was kidnapped." Ami pulled her hand away. "It's probably for the better." She walked over to the closet and started digging around. Sure enough, the old trunk with her father's clothes was still there. Ami had never had a good look inside before, but she wasn't much surprised. Jeans with rips in the knees, shirts with paint on them, and old leather flip-flops filled the trunk. It seemed like the strangest thing in the world—practical and calculated Ami Mizuno's father was like a hippie. She grabbed a navy blue button down shirt that actually happened to have no paint on it and a pair of ripped up jeans. She headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs toward Kaiba. "Here, I found some clothes for you."

He stood up from the couch and took the clothes. "Thank you, Mizuno-san"

"You can shower upstairs. It's the first door on the right." Ami pointed toward the stairs. "I'll make something else for you to eat while you're up there."

"Good." He almost exclaimed, stomach screaming from hunger. "I felt like I was going to faint." He walked past her and went up the stairs. Ami headed into the kitchen and started digging around the fridge. She dug out chicken, vegetables, teriyaki sauce, and rice. She took a skillet out of the cupboard and heated up the stove. Next, she put the raw chicken in the pan then dug around for the other materials she would need. Usually, when she wanted something to eat, she would just make a quick sandwich, but for some reason, she found herself cooking a full meal. After about twenty minutes, she was standing in front of the stove cooking the chicken and mixing in the teriyaki sauce.

"Hmmm…that smells really good? What are you making?"

Ami looked up from the stove. She gawked at the sight in front of her. Kaiba stood clean and refreshed from the shower. The ripped jeans fit him a little loose, but they looked wonderful in combination with the navy blue button down shirt Ami thought. The scent of the cleaned up man was almost intoxicating to her senses. "I…uh…" Ami stuttered. He stepped behind her and looked over her shoulder at the stove. "What is that?"

"Uh, chicken teriyaki."

He leaned in closer to look, while pressing his chest into Ami's back. She gasped heavily.

"Are you alright," He asked.

"Fine," She gasped again.

He smirked as he backed away. "Okay, let me know if you need any help."

* * *

The evil Queen was enraged. Kaiba was gone, Sailor Mercury's pen was missing along with Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars was not dead, and Tuxedo Samurai kept interfering with her plans. "If you want something done, you have to do it yourself," She muttered to herself. She walked over to the pool in the middle of her courtroom and stared deeply into it. She had to find the answers. "Show me the Moon Prince." Pictures started to form in the murky water.

It was their usual corner of the palace. The palace was huge and exquisite in even the deepest hallways and corners. He stood leaning against the window staring off into the dark night. He rested his arm against the hilt of his sword. He had returned from a successful emissary mission from the outer planets, and there was a great celebration of his return to the Moon Kingdom. There were grand parties almost every night, but this night was even more special because of his return.

He looked over at the sound of footsteps. He stepped away from the window. They looked at each other for a few moments then rushed into each other's arms.

"Oh, I've missed you." She breathed.

"It's only been a month." He said, stepping back but still holding onto his princess.

"A month too long," She said. "And you're scheduled to leave in a few days for deliberations on Earth?"

He sighed. "Yes, I know. But that's the life of a Prince. I'm sure you've had to do the same thing on Mars."

She pulled the Prince in closer and rested her head against his chest. "Yes, but…" She sighed looking at the plain silver band on her finger. They both wore a plain and simple wedding band to mark their vows to each other, but the rings were simple enough not to arouse suspicion. "…I wasn't married then."

He rested his head on hers and breathed in her scent. "I know it's difficult, but after this problem with Earth is solved, I promise you, I'm going to tell Queen Serenity about us."

Princess Raye stepped back. "Are you sure you're Aunt will accept us?"

The Prince sighed. "It doesn't matter if they accept us. The fact is that we're married now."

She nodded and stood in silence for a few moments. She bit her lip and started to blush a little. He noticed her reaction and stared at her. "What is it?"

She glanced up with playful eyes. "Since you've been gone so long, and you're leaving soon, can we…" She stopped her words when she saw him smirk.

"You're terrible." He smirked even wider.

"What?" She almost giggled. "Is there something wrong with the fact that I miss my husband?"

"No, but…" He quickly lifted her up into his arms. "…your husband has missed you quite plenty in the last month."

She giggled as she kissed him on the cheek. "Your room or mine?"

He shook his head. "It'd be too risky with all the people here tonight. We should probably go to the spare room."

She nodded wrapping her arms around his neck. He started walking down the hallway deeper into the palace. Eventually they wound up in a dark part of the palace that was so rarely used, that the electric circuit wasn't ever turned on. Only the moonlight pouring through the windows lit their way. Coming to one of the doors, he grasped the handle and opened it while still carrying his Princess. He carried her into the room and locked the door. This room was their secret hideout when it was too dangerous to see each other in their rooms.

He laid her down on the old bed, gently resting her head on the pillow, and sat down next to her. She reached up, brushed the blonde locks out of his eyes then rested her hand on his cheek. "I love you."

He reached up and grabbed her hand in his. "I love you too."

The Old Queen stared hard into the water as the scene unfolded in the water. She had watched the two lovers interact through her window of the past, and after many hours of study, she felt a twinge in her heart. The more and more she watched them, the more and more she hated Sailor Mars, but found herself infatuated with the Moon Prince. Hatred and fury swirled inside her as she watched the Prince of the Moon with Sailor Mars. She pondered deeply as she watched them. Then an idea struck. An evil grin crept upon her face. "If I find the reborn Moon Prince, I can marry him and conceive an heir that will be eligible to rule Crystal Tokyo."

* * *

Ami stood next to her mother's bed and used her Sailor pen to awaken her mother. Soon, her mother, Umiko, fluttered her eyes open and looked at her daughter. "Ami?"

"Are you feeling okay, Mom?"

Umiko sat up and rubbed her forehead. "What time is it?" She looked at her clock. It was 4:00pm. "I feel terrible."

"Yes, mom, you've been very sick."

Umiko crawled out of bed, and rubbed her face.

"Well, Mom, you should probably take a shower and go back to bed. I have a friend downstairs…"

"You have a friend over?" Umiko asked. "It isn't Serena, is it? I'm afraid I don't have enough groceries for her to come over. I better get down there and make sure she doesn't eat everything…"

"No, Mom, I'll take care of it!" She blocked the doorway. "It isn't Serena, I promise. Don't worry about it. Just go back to bed."

Umiko stared at her daughter, curious about her suspicious behavior. "Who is it?" She crossed her arms. "Is it a boy?"

Ami glanced away. "Yes, he happens to be a male."

Umiko grinned. "Is it that boy you like? Shoji?"

Ami rolled her eyes. "No, Mom, it isn't Shoji."

"Then who is it?" Umiko looked confused.

Umiko sat with her eyes crossed while slipping on a cup of tea. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife just as Umiko's eyes pierced into Kaiba.

"So Kaiba, what do you do for a living or are you in school?"

"For a living?" He asked.

"Oh, you know, a job?" Umiko tapped her foot.

He bit his lip. "Well, I…uh…"

"Kaiba does martial arts, Mom." She stirred her tea nervously. "He's actually very talented."

"And does a martial artist make a paycheck or does he beg in the park for tips?"

"Kaiba has survived perfectly well with what he does."

"Yes, but I can't understand what it is he exactly does." Umiko's eyes narrowed even more.

"Mom, can I talk to you in the other room?"

The two women got up and walked out of the living room and into the study. "Well, just be a moment, Kaiba," Umiko said while closing the door behind them.

"What is your problem, Mom? Why are you acting like this?"

"Who in the world is he?" Umiko asked, trying to keep her voice at a whisper. "Where did you meet him?"

Ami glanced away. "I met him at school."

"Does he even go to school? He looks too old for high school. Is he in college?"

"No, he's not in college. He was at my high school for…uh…a teaching job…"

"Ami!" Umiko exclaimed. "He's a teacher! There's laws against things like that! Are you sleeping with him? Are you doing this for a grade?"

"MOM! No!" Ami exclaimed. "I'm not sleeping with him." He pondered for a moment. "He came in to teach martial arts for a day, and we became friends," She lied.

Umiko crossed her arms. "He looks too old for you. Why, he's a grown man, Ami, and you're just a girl."

"I'm eighteen, Mom." Ami rolled her eyes. "Look, we're going over to Raye's house tonight, okay."

"Fine, do whatever. It's not like you care about what I think." She sighed and looked away. "And besides, he dresses exactly like your father. I don't trust him."

Ami nervously glanced away from the clothing remark. "Clothes don't make a man, Mom."

"You're not just trying to make Shoji jealous by using this guy are you?"

"Mom, it's not like that." Ami opened the door and stepped back into the living room. "Sorry, Kaiba. Why don't we head over to Raye's house now?"

Kaiba's head was hung low, but he looked up at Ami. He nodded and stood up from the couch. He grabbed his sword and trench coat. Umiko came out of the study with her arms still crossed.

"So Kaiba, how old are you?"

He was silent for a moment. He was really over a thousand years old, but he was only physically in his twenties. "Twenty-four, Mizuno-san."

"Twenty-four, huh?" Her lips curled into a frown. "Can't find company your own age?"

"Mom!" Ami hissed. "Come on, Kaiba. Let's go." She opened the door and Kaiba left behind her.

"Goodbye, Mizuno-san." Kaiba bowed to Umiko.

"Goodbye," Umiko uttered, sarcastically.

Kaiba shut the door behind them, and they walked down the sidewalk towards the street.

"How much of that did you hear?" Ami asked.

Kaiba sighed a little. "All of her."

"Don't listen to her." Ami shook her head. "She doesn't understand yet."

Kaiba nodded solemnly.

Ami looked over. "Come on, let's go to Raye's house. We'll worry about my mother later."


	13. Phenomenon

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Phenomenon**

They walked to Raye's Temple mostly in silence, only glancing over at each other occasionally. Despite the fact that he could read people so well, he found Ami's mother, Umiko, quite baffling. She was angry as if he was coupled or paired, a human phenomenon he had observed, but the fact was that he and Ami weren't in any sort of paring. The mortal world was quiet different than the Negaverse.

Ami looked over at Kaiba for a second. "He's almost like an alien to this world," She thought as she watched him closely inspect the most mundane and ordinary things like parking meters and clocks. Even though he didn't understand this world, he was able to make thoughtful observations about it, Ami noticed. While walking by a public fountain, Ami sat down on the edge to rest. Kaiba took a seat next to her then gazed into the water.

"What in the world are you doing?" Ami exclaimed while she watched Kaiba quickly plunge his arm into the water.

He pulled his arm out and opened his hand. "There's treasure in the bottom of the water."

Ami almost laughed, but kept in so she wouldn't humiliate the man. "No, that's money. People use it to buy things here."

"Do I have enough to buy anything?"

She looked at the Yen coins in his hand. "Maybe a cup of coffee or something, but that's not your money. Put it back."

"But I found it, Mizuno-san. It's mine."

"No, people throw money into the fountain to make a wish."

"Wishes? What kind of wishes?"

Ami shrugged her shoulders. "Some wish for fortune or fame or maybe even happiness." She grabbed one of the coins out of Kaiba's hand, closed her eyes, and threw it back into the water.

"What'd you wish for?"

"I can't tell you."

Kaiba hunched his eyebrows. "Why not?"

"The wish won't come true then."

Kaiba looked deeply into the water and stared at all the shiny coins down at the bottom. "You know, Mizuno-san, I think people should save this money stuff and do something useful with it instead of throwing it away on wishes."

Revelation struck Ami's mind. She hadn't thought of that before.

Kaiba shrugged his shoulders. "But nevertheless…" He flicked one of the coins into the water with his thumb.

"What you'd wish for?"

He smirked at her. "Not telling."

His smirk made her suspicious. "What are you going to do with the rest of the coins?"

"You said I had enough to buy coffee. What is coffee?"

Ami stood up from the fountain. "Come on. I'll show you."

* * *

"We have Amara's Planet Crystal, Michelle's, Hotaru's, and Trista's…" Lita listed off. 

"Yeah, but we don't know if Trista's will be of any service since her powers have faded and Beryl is in control of her staff." Amara said

"But we still have it," Serena piped up.

"Raye, have you discovered anything in the fire?" Michelle asked. Raye shook her head in reply. "The fire has been difficult to read lately. Ami isn't capable of teleportation or telepathy like Trista. We'll have to use our own powers to find her."

"We've come up with nothing at HQ or through Ami's supercomputer," Artemis said.

Darien stood up from off the wall. "We have to do something. We can't just leave her in the hands of the Negaverse."

"What do you propose we do, Prince Endymion?" Trista asked.

He shook his head. "I don't know. We're so powerless compared to them, and we don't even know how to use these trinkets that Tuxedo Samurai told us to get. Besides the fact that we don't even know who he is."

"Maybe Tuxedo Samurai could help us?" Mina suggested. "But how could we convince him to join our side?"

"He is on our side, Mina!" Raye snapped.

"He isn't on anybody's side. He just does whatever he wants, and it makes me suspicious." Darien said.

"Tuxedo Samurai protected us many times at the risk of his own life! He isn't our enemy." Raye said.

"Well, if he's our friend, he should be inclined to help us retrieve Ami from the Negaverse," Hotaru stated.

Michelle nodded. "She's right."

"We have to have an assault on the Negaverse. We need to be offensive." Amara slammed her hand into the table.

Raye stood by the door against the wall listening for her grandfather or Kyoji. She had all of her friends in the tea room for the Sailor meeting—all Sailors, one Tuxedo, and two cats delegated in the room. She quickly hushed the crowd when she thought she heard voices coming down the hallway.

"My granddaughter is in here." Her grandfather spoke, standing outside the tea room. "Fancy that Raye throws a party and doesn't invite her grandfather."

"I'm sure you still have Raye's affections, Himura-san."

Raye's eyes bulged as she stood by the doorway. She quickly slid open the door and looked out. In the hallway stood a young blue-haired girl standing next to her grandfather. Her eyes met with Raye and she smiled warmly. "Hello, Raye-chan."

"AMI!" Raye exclaimed. She grabbed Ami by the wrist and pulled her into the tea room. Everyone had the same reaction and rushed toward her for hugs. The dismal atmosphere instantly changed to excitement and chaos as they all tried to hug and touch their friend. She accepted some of the first few hugs and pats, but she backed them off and pushed them away. "Everyone, please…"

"How did you get back?"

"Are you alright?"

"What did they do with you?"

Ami raised her hands. "Everyone, please, listen!" She waited until they grew silent. "Before I answer any questions, I want you to meet someone." She stepped back and looked out into the hallway. Raye's grandfather had left. She looked at Kaiba and smiled. He gingerly came forward into the doorway and walked into the room. Immediately everyone gasped then jumped into a defensive position.

"It's General Kaiba! Attack!" Lita yelled.

They all starting charging at him in one mad rush. Darien grabbed hold of his arm while Mina got the other. Lita had leapt over the tea table and grabbed a hold of his shirt while Serena grabbed his leg at the ankle. Ami hollered for them to stop. They only stopped because it was so unusual to hear Ami scream at all.

"Enough!" Ami hollered. "Kaiba is no longer a General of the Negaverse. He has changed is ways and has seen the light."

Amara pointed at Kaiba. "That's the scum who kidnapped you! He's brainwashed you!"

"He's the one who saved me! I would have died if it wasn't for him!" Ami looked around at her friends with desperation across her face. "Please, believe me! Kaiba is good now!"

They stared for a few moments then slowly backed off one by one. Darien released Kaiba's arm while Lita released his shirt. Serena crawled away from his ankles while Mina still continued to hang on his left arm.

Mina looked up at the former General, stars in her eyes. "You want to sit with me?"

"Um…I guess…" He thought while he spoke.

Ami's eyebrows hunched over.

Mina guided the General over to the tea table still clinging onto his arm. "Have a seat right here."

"Okay," He said. "Have you ever had coffee? It's a very good thing to buy."

"Yes, of course." Mina smiled. "My favorite coffee shop…" She trailed off in conversation with Kaiba.

"So, Ami! You've got to tell us everything!" Serena said. "Come on, sit down over here!" Serena guided her friend to the head of the table.

It took hours for Ami to explain everything to her friends about her kidnapping and experience in the Negaverse. Proving himself to be useful, Kaiba explained and informed the Sailor Scouts of what he knew of Beryl and her plans—which wasn't really much, but it was more than the Sailors knew at the time. But after they had finished Sailor business, the group of friends started to celebrate and converse in other matters. As the night grew darker, the outer Sailors took Trista home and Darien left because of his early classes in the morning. Only the Inner Scouts and Kaiba remained in the tea room as the clock struck 9PM.

Ami sat in the corner with her arms crossed over her chest. She glared hard at the long-haired blonde who had latched onto the blue-haired man. Kaiba had quickly made his way into the hearts of the Sailor Scouts with his witty humor and observations about earth. The blonde was flirtatious and playful with her words, eyes, and even the way she pouted her lips when he teased her. Everything inside Ami would tighten as if her innermost being was screaming. "What is wrong with me? Why am I feeling like this?" Ami wondered to herself as she watched the blonde interacting with the man.

"Is there something wrong, Ami?" Lita asked.

Everyone stopped their conversations to look over at Ami.

Ami looked up from the floor, breaking her thoughts. She looked around to see all eyes staring at her. "Huh? What?" She froze. Lita knew her the best out of all the Sailors, but not extremely well. She hoped she could fake it so she shook her head. "No, nothing's wrong. I don't feel well that's all."

Lita nodded. "Yes, you have been through a lot. Perhaps if you eat something or get some sleep you'll feel better."

Ami nodded. "You're probably right."

Everyone turned back to their conversations except Kaiba. His piercing blue eyes remained on Ami for a few moments. He studied her as she looked back down to the floor.

"Kaiba, have you ever been to the movies?" Mina asked.

Kaiba turned his attention away from Ami and looked at Mina. "Where is movies at? I've never been there."

* * *

For hours upon hours the Queen laid by the pool watching the past, present, and future unfold. As she watched, some pieces of the puzzle would be revealed, but so much of it was a mystery to her. As time passed and scenes unfolded, she found her infatuation with the Moon Prince grow stronger and stronger every hour. If she married him, she could legitimately rule Crystal Tokyo and be just and good, if not even better than her rival, Queen Serenity. Queen Serenity had stolen Prince Apollo of the Sun from her, Princess Serena had stolen Prince Endymion of Earth from her, but she would not let Sailor Mars steal the Moon Prince from her. It was her turn to have what she wanted—power and prestige. All she would have to do is find the Moon Prince, marry him, and sit on the throne while Crystal Tokyo is birthed into existence. 

Soon would be the time to set the events in motion. She padded her pocket that held her dark crystal in it. It was almost at full-strength, and when it was, she could start the birth of Crystal Tokyo. Soon, she would be Queen of all the Universe, and the Moon Prince would be at her side.

She sighed while waving her hand over the waters. A new scene unfolded before her. Her nose wrinkled when the first person she saw was Princess Serenity but her distain relented when the Moon Prince came into view. The two, similarity dressed the clothing style of the Moon King, walked down a long pathway toward the palace. The stone pathway led across the shore of the great lake in front of the beautiful palace. The two, who also looked so similar in physical features, gently strolled along the shore while chatting.

"Dear Serena, I only say these things because of you safety. We are unaware of Prince Endymion's alliances. There have been rumors that the Earth Kingdom has been making negotiations with Queen Beryl and the Negaverse…" The Moon Prince stated.

"Darien would never do such a thing as siding with her! There must be a mistake!" Princess Serenity interrupted.

"I have confirmed facts from my intelligence scouts that Queen Beryl has been in contact with the Earth Kingdom."

Princess Serenity looked him in the eye. "Are you not like a brother to me?"

He looked at her confused. "Yes, I am you brother."

"Then as my brother, believe me when I say that Prince Darien is not with the Negaverse. He is good-hearted and trustworthy."

The Moon Prince stared into his sister's bright blue eyes. He faintly smiled. "You always see the best in people, my sister."

She smiled back. "Yes, even you." She brushed the hair out of his eyes as a loving sister would.

He sighed and continued to stroll at a slow pace. "It is a wonderful day, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." Serena smiled while twirling her umbrella that was rested against her shoulder. "Quite beautiful."

They walked a few feet in silence merely absorbing the scenery with their eyes. They had lived in the Moon Kingdom all their lives, but they could never grow tired of the beautiful landscape of the Moon.

"Cousin, tell me something."

"Oh, I'm your cousin now?"

The Princess faintly laughed. "Okay, brother, tell me something."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Why do you wear a silver ring on your finger?"

The Moon Prince stopped in his tracks. "What are you talking about, Princess?"

She stopped and pointed toward his hand. "That silver band. Why do you wear it?"

"It's a piece of jewelry—nothing more. I believe I had found it one day and decided I…"

"Liar!"

He looked at her with a frown. Even when she called him a liar, she did it rather gracefully.

"Why does Princess Raye wear the same band?"

The Moon Prince gulped. "Princess Raye wears the same band?"

"Stop pretending like you don't know. You and I know both that you were never any good at lying. Now tell me, why do you and Princess Raye wear the same band? I thought you hated each other. What is going on?"

The Moon Prince bit his lip and looked his sister in the eye. His face started to flush a little.

"Do you two really like each other and haven't told anyone."

He glanced away. "You could say that…"

She stared him down. "What do you mean by that?"

He looked around to see if anyone else was around. "You have to promise not to tell anyone what I'm going to tell you. I mean it. You cannot even tell Queen Serenity."

Princess Serenity looked around. "Can't even tell Mom? This must be some secret. What is it?"

He gulped again and leaned in close to his sister. "Princess Raye and I have been secretly married for almost two months now."

"WH…" Princess Serenity tried to exclaim but the Moon Prince covered her mouth.

"Look, I know everyone thinks we hate each other, and we used to. But then about a year ago, I really started to like her and the same thing was happening to her but we never admitted to each other then we ended up kissing one night then we started a secret relationship for six months then we just decided to get married secretly. We were planning to tell Aunt Serenity after things cool down with the Earth conflict." He rattled off rapidly in one blur.

Princess Serenity used her hands to remove the Prince's off her face. "Brother, I am really very happy for you and Raye, but I'm afraid the politics of our position…"

"I know," He sighed while glancing to his feet. He looked back up into Serenity's eyes. "But I love her."

The Princess smiled. "I know. I could tell just by the way you've been looking at her lately."

"Do you think anyone else suspects?"

Serenity shook her head. "And if they do, I'll steer them in the wrong direction." She smiled. "I won't tell anyone. Not even our mother."

The Moon Prince smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

It was late. Only Ami and Kaiba remained at the Temple with Raye discussing what Kaiba's living arrangements would be. It was agreed upon that Kaiba would stay at the Temple as a guest for ¥3000 ($25) a week. Kaiba noticed the slight frustration on Ami's face as he realized it would take almost all of Ami's week allowance to pay for his room at the Temple, but it was settled that Kaiba was to spend the night there while the other Sailors would work on finding him supplies and Darien would give him old clothing. 

After it was agreed, Raye headed off to her bedroom while Ami started to make her way towards the exit of the Temple. She held her arms over her chest to keep herself warm as she walked. She still felt sick, angry, and confused inside.

"Mizuno-san! Wait!"

She turned around to see the blue-haired man chasing after her. She stopped walking and waited for him to catch up.

He exhaled deeply, his breath freezing and blowing away in the wind. "Mizuno-san, can we talk?"

"It's late, Kaiba, I really should get home."

"Then at least let me walk you home. It isn't safe at night." He glanced around. "There are people like me who might kidnap you." He faintly laughed then stopped once he saw she wasn't laughing. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She continued to walk again.

He followed behind her. "Mizuno-san, stop."

She stopped.

"Can I please walk you home? It really isn't safe."

She pondered silently for a moment. "Alright."

They walked down the long stone stairs of the Cherry Hill Temple together in the cold dark. They headed off in silence for a few minutes, almost reaching the halfway point, then Kaiba spoke his mind.

"Why were you upset earlier?"

"I wasn't upset. I was sick."

"I don't believe you."

Ami started to walk faster. "I don't care what you believe."

He smirked at her feistiness. "What is wrong with you?" He walked faster. "Mizuno-san! Tell me what's going on! Mizuno-san!"

"Leave me alone!" She broke out into a sprint.

He started to run and grabbed a hold of her arm when he caught up to her. He quickly spun her around, pulling her toward him and causing her to smack right into his chest. He quickly grabbed her in his arms to keep her pinned against him.

The both panted heavily while the steam from their breaths poured out into the cold air. She was pinned in his arms with no way of escape, and his blue eyes stared her down. One look into his eyes made her start to cry.

"What' s wrong?" He asked gently.

"I don't know," She sobbed and looked away.

He grabbed her chin with his hand and forced her to look at him. "Ami-chan."

She didn't need to be forced to look at him after he called her that. Even though tears still dripped down her face, her eyes were wide open with surprise.

"In my time here on Earth, I have observed a phenomenon between people. They couple up. They don't just use each other for self-gratification. They form something like a relationship with each other. I have heard all my life that love is bad, not really understanding what it was, but I think this is what love must be—a commitment and devotion to another human being."

Ami glanced away, frustrated. "Yes, Kaiba, now please, I need to get home…" She tried to pull away, but she found herself being jerked back. When her face almost came into view of his, she felt his lips over hers.

Her heart exploded. While his lips were cool and refreshing, it set her heart and soul on fire. It only lasted a few seconds, but it lingered on as he pulled away slowly from her upper lip. He brought his head back and waited for her to open her eyes. Once she did, he smiled warmly at her which made her faintly smile back in surprise.

He shook his head with a smirk. "I knew your friend Mina was making you jealous tonight. Why didn't you say anything?"

Ami glanced away. "I didn't think you would feel the same way about me." A heavy tear poured from her eye. "I mean, I waited so long for Shoji, and he never…"

"Hush." Kaiba wiped away the tear. "He's a coward. He doesn't deserve to have you."

"I just thought you'd never see me that way. I just felt like it was happening all over again—I was getting attached, and then you'd be interested in someone else. Gosh, just the way Mina was hanging all over you tonight! It's not like it's never going to happen again! I mean, you're so attractive and good-looking…" She stopped herself and blushed once she realized she said too much.

"Ami-chan."

She was caught in surprise again and looked up at him.

"I have seen this phenomenon of people coupling together and making a relationship. I would very much like to do so with you, if you would agree to it."

Ami looked around. "Are you sure? I mean, there are so many other girls out there, and I'm sure they'd all love to date you…"

"You're the one I want, Ami-chan." He silenced her again with another kiss, this time making it deeper and more sensual. It wasn't just a kiss between kids on the schoolyard, this was a kiss between a man and woman. He pulled away leaving her wanting more and melting in his arms.

After a few moments, she pulled away from his arms and She composed herself, wiping the snowflakes off her jacket. "Well, I suppose I should be getting home. It's late." She continued walking toward her house.

Kaiba silently followed and after a few seconds, grabbed her hand and held it. She looked over at him with red cheeks while he only smirked back at her.

"Does this mean we're boyfriend and girlfriend?" She asked.

He stopped walking, making her stop, and he looked over at her. "What? Are we not friends?"

"No, we are friends. It's just a special title for people."

"What does it mean?"

"If I'm your girlfriend, it means you only hold hands, and…" She blushed. "…only kiss me, and if you're my boyfriend, I only hold your hand and kiss you. Nobody else."

"Well, if that's what it means then I guess we are." Kaiba pondered for a moment. "Does this mean we are in relationship for life?"

She shook her head. "No, it doesn't. If we were in relationship for life, we would be husband and wife."

"Ah, yes, I have heard of this. I understand. They are married for life. I didn't realize that marriage was supposed to be about love and relationship. How do you know if you should be married?"

"By going through the boyfriend and girlfriend stage," Ami said, she continued to walk, guiding Kaiba along.

They walked in silence only holding each others hand until they reached Ami's street. Kaiba recognized the street and glanced over at Ami. "Do you think someday we can be married?" He asked, bluntly.

Ami blushed furiously. "I don't know. We'll see."

They continued in silence until they reached Ami's dark house. She walked up to the door with Kaiba and stood on the porch digging for her keys. Kaiba looked up into the starry night sky since the clouds disappeared. She found the key and stuck it into the lock. "Well, goodnight, Kaiba. Thanks for walking me home."

He smiled. "Thank you for being my girlfriend, Ami-chan."

She blushed even more but he couldn't see it in the dark. He leaned forward and kissed her hot, embarrassed cheek. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," She uttered.

He turned around and started to walk away. She stood for a moment and watched him leave. He turned around and waved, and she waved back in the dark. Instead of opening the door, she turned and ran right into it. She grabbed her head and mentally scolded herself as she opened the door.

She headed upstairs and changed in clothes. She did all of her bedtime preparations as she normally would. When she laid down and crawled into her covers, the biggest smile crept onto Ami Mizuno's face, and she slept with the smile all night long.


	14. Wherefore art thou Romeo?

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Wherefore art thou Romeo?**

The students talked among themselves in the classroom. Daita and Raye sat on a table with the girls awing and hovering around Raye while the boys discussed the upcoming baseball season. Some of the girls sat in their desk painting their fingernails while a group of boys gathered around the television. Raye glanced over to the corner. The blonde-haired boy quietly worked with the sound equipment the class was going to be using for the production.

"People! People! Come on! Settle down now!" The teacher walked into the classroom clapping her hands to settle the class down. Raye looked away from Kyoji to the teacher. She slid down off the table and walked towards back with the other students. Daita followed behind her, putting his hands on Raye's hips.

The teacher kept clapping her hands. Most of the students took her authority as a joke since she was the unusual and eccentric type with her cheetah print ribbon in her messy curly brown hair, flamboyant accessories to her Sensei uniform with the usual cheetah print, and extremely ecstatic personality. "Alright, people, let's start at Act 2 Scene 2."

"Sensei Rousseau, we've already done this scene a thousand times!" The girl who was playing the nurse complained.

"Yes, but there's something not right about the scene." Sensei Rousseau commended. "This is acting, students. There must be passion! There must be life! There must be…" She flailed her arms in the air.

"Is there something I'm doing wrong?" Raye stepped forward.

The Sensei put her arms down and looked over at Raye. "No, dear, you make a fine Juliet…" At this, Raye smiled. "…but, I'm afraid Daita needs some work on his lines."

"What's wrong with my lines?" He hissed.

"Nothing, dear, it's just you act like you don't want to be here."

"I don't want to be here," He mumbled under his breath. "Why did you make me sign up for this dumb class anyway?" He asked Raye.

"I didn't make you. I just asked if you wanted to take this class with me, that's all." Raye whispered.

"Alright! Let's run through the lines!" Sensei Rousseau clapped her hands. "Places everyone. Go ahead Daita."

Daita cleared his throat and tugged at the collar of his throat. "He jet at scars that…uh…never any felt wounds. Uh…But look! What light through the window breaking? It's…uh…the East, and Juliet is the…what was it? Sun! Yeah, Sun!"

Then Sensei smacked her hand against her forehead and shook her head. "Oh, goodness."

"Who cares about the dumb lines?" Daita threw his playbook behind his back. "Let's get to the good part." He reached for Raye and tried to kiss her.

"Daita! You're skipping ahead too far!" The Sensei scolded.

"What? Who cares about that boring junk anyway?" He shrugged his shoulders and started to learn in closer to Raye.

"Daita, if you're not going to read the lines correctly then I'm going to ask someone else."

Daita laughed. "Yeah, like who'd want to do that? This class is full of a bunch of nerds and losers. Like you're gonna find a better looking Romeo than me."

"Go to the office!"

Daita shrugged his shoulders. "Fine. Whatever." He walked straight out of the classroom.

"Who's going to take his place? We've done so much work already that it'd be too much for someone to jump in." One of the boys stated to the Sensei.

Sensei Rousseau gazed over her class for a few moments. She tapped her finger on her nose then pointed. "Kyoji."

The blonde haired boy jerked his head up from the audio visual equipment. Everyone had their attention turned in his direction. He looked behind his shoulder to see if they were looking at then noticed they were staring at him.

Raye closed her eyes and slightly groaned. "Why do these things always happen to me?" She muttered to herself.

"Him?" One of the girls asked in disgust.

"Why not?" Sensei Rousseau asked. "He knows all the lines. He's been to every practice…"

"I've never even heard him speak before!" One of the boys interrupted.

Sensei Rousseau walked over to Kyoji and grabbed him by the arm. Her long nails, painted the brightest shade of red, dug into Kyoji's flesh. She dragged him into the middle of the room and put him next to Raye.

Kyoji flinched as the nails dug into his arm. "Sensei, you're hurting me…"

"Nonsense!" She exclaimed. The Sensei handed him a script. "Just try the lines. You'll never know until you try."

"Sensei, I don't think it's a good idea…" Raye said.

"Come on now. Let the boy try before you decide."

"Sensei, I…" Kyoji started to say, but she pushed him next to Raye. "Just read the lines."

Kyoji sighed deeply. He started to read the lines, and he at least read them well with a clear voice and accurate pronunciation. Raye was able to read her lines and interaction began to emerge within the line reading. They kept going straight through. Tension and nervousness started building within each of them as the dreaded scene drew nearer and nearer with each line—the kissing scene. And when they reached it, they stopped abruptly and looked up at the teacher.

"Go on." She nodded.

Kyoji looked back at Raye. She slightly scowled at him, but he slowly and cautiously advanced. Awkwardly, he leaned in focusing intensely on Raye's face.

"Stop!"

Kyoji and Raye quickly jerked back from each other—their hearts pounding with anxiety. Sensei Rousseau came up and stood between the two actors. "There is no passion. There is fear. This will not do. No, this will not do." She turned to Kyoji. "You have to be passionate. You are Romeo. You are madly in love with Juliet. You have to make me believe that you love Juliet."

Kyoji looked down at his feet. "Sensei Rousseau, I don't think I'm the right person for this."

"Nonsense!" She hollered. "Kyoji, you have to feel the passion! Feel it deep within your soul!" She quickly reached out and snatched Kyoji into her arms. She was a large woman and Kyoji's small body was crushed in her grasp. "You have to feel the passion! Feel the passion!"

Kyoji gasped for air as he was being suffocated by the large, crazy, French Sensei. The other students started giggling then they burst out into laughter as the Sensei kept squeezing Kyoji harder and harder while lifting him up off the ground.

"Do you feel the passion? Do you feel it, Kyoji?"

"Yes, I feel it!" Kyoji gasped.

"Good!" Sensei Rousseau dropped Kyoji. He fell to the ground gasping for air. "Now try it again!"

After a few moments, Kyoji stood up and composed himself. Again, Raye and he tried the scene, but it was wrong again.

"No, Kyoji! Show her passion! Show her romance!"

They kept making awkward false starts over and over again while Sensei Rousseau kept yelling loudly and the other students looked on and giggled. The loud obnoxious voice of the Sensei blurred into one dizzy headache in Kyoji's mind. It drove his nerves mad. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Looking up at Raye with intensity and seriousness in his eyes, his posture changed and he stepped forward. Quickly, he grabbed unto Raye's wrist, pulling her up against him then his arms went to her waist.

A grasp started to escape her lips, but it was silenced. He sunk her into the deepest kiss she ever had in her entire life. The classroom fell silent. Her arms naturally went up to rest on Kyoji's forearms. After a few moments, they pulled their lips away from each other. Their eyes locked for a few moments. Terror struck Kyoji's face after a look of confusion and horror washed over Raye.

"Good." Sensei Rousseau said, quite surprised. She smiled and started to clap. Kyoji and Raye looked over at the Sensei and backed away from each other. "Do that on the stage, and you'll have the audience on their knees!"

Kyoji sighed while Raye rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes in frustration.

"Alright, let's move to the next scene."

* * *

He walked through the cafeteria silently carrying his lunch. As he walked by each table, the table would hush and start whispering quietly. He headed toward the back corner of the cafeteria and sat down by himself. He opened his paper bag and dug out his lunch. Propping his head up with his fist, he somberly ate his rice and picked at the bits of shrimp and vegetables.

Loud and noisy, Serena came over to the table and plopped down while shoving rice into her mouth. Kyoji looked up at her while she sat down. After she finished chewing, she opened her mouth. "Hi, Kyoji, what's new with you?" She asked, in a peculiar tone.

Suspiciously Kyoji glanced over at her. "What do you mean?"

Serena reached over with her chopsticks and picked into Kyoji's lunch. He glanced at her eating his lunch, but she didn't seem to notice. "Oh, I don't know. How was class today?" She ate the piece of shrimp she grabbed.

"Fine," He said shortly.

Serena thought for a moment. "Just fine, huh?" She fell silent and turned back to her rice. Kyoji started picking through his lunch again while Serena worked on emptying her rice bowl.

After a few minutes, Serena quickly jerked back over. "Everyone's been saying that you kissed Raye in class, and that it wasn't just a kiss on the cheek, and you guys were making out…"

Kyoji jerked his head over and pulled his chopsticks out of his mouth. "I did not "make out" with her!" Kyoji exclaiming, sounding awkward when using slang terms.

"But you _did_ kiss her, right?"

The blonde-haired boy started to blush a furious red. "It was a play, Serena." He looked away, embarrassed.

"So you _did_ kiss her!" Serena clapped her hands.

Kyoji closed his eyes and sighed. "Serena, it was _just_ a play."

Serena sat silent for a moment. "So?"

"So?" He looked at her confused.

A large grin grew on Serena's face. "So…" She grinned even wider. "Did you like it?"

"Serena," Kyoji said sternly, crossing his arms.

The girl shrugged her shoulders. "What?" She grabbed her rice and picked up her chopsticks. "She_ is_ your fiancée, you know." She picked around her food. "Tell me something, Kyoji."

He sighed. "What?"

She focused on her food. "Do you want to get married to Raye? I mean, you didn't even know her before you guys were engaged. It was kind of forced on both of you." She looked up at Kyoji. "Or do you like someone else? I know lots of girls who think you're pretty cute…" Her words were cut short when he glanced over at her, his deep blue eyes locking with hers. Sadness struck her heart as his eyes communicated deep pain and sorrow.

"Serena, I don't want to talk about it." He tore his eyes away from her and got up from the table. He walked out of the cafeteria with his head hung low.

Serena turned around and watched Kyoji leave. After a few seconds, she shrugged her shoulders and started eating Kyoji's lunch. She sat alone for a couple of minutes until Lita, Ami, and Mina came up and joined her. They unpacked their lunches and started to eat. They sat in silence for a few moments so Lita looked up at Serena. "What's wrong?"

Serena sighed. "I'm not sure. I was talking with Kyoji and he just got upset and left."

"What happened?" Ami asked.

"You know how he kissed Raye in class…"

Lita slammed her hands down on the table. "That rumor's true?"

Serena leaned forward and giggled. "Yeah, it's true!"

"So what's going on?" Mina asked, giggling too.

"Well, I asked him if he liked Raye or if he even wanted to marry her. He got mad and didn't answer. So then I just asked if he liked someone else." Serena paused for a moment. "He gave me this really sad look, said he didn't want to talk about it, and he left."

Mina pondered for a moment then shook her head. "You've got a problem on your hands, Serena."

"What?" She looked confused.

Lita sighed. "Serena, he likes you."

"What?" She exclaimed.

"Come on! Think about it. He was sad when you mentioned if he liked anyone and didn't want to talk about it with you." Mina crossed her arms. "Yep, admit it. He likes you."

"Are you sure?" Serena still looked confused.

"I'm more than sure," Mina said.

Serena buried her face in her hands. "Oh no! Kyoji can't like me. It'd break his heart if he found out I can't like him back."

"Did you tell him that you were seeing Darien?" Ami asked while reading a book.

"Well, yeah, I've told him, but I guess he couldn't help it."

"What are you going to do?" Lita asked.

Serena stood her head. "I don't know."

"You're going to have to tell him the truth," Ami said. "It's the only way."

Serena sighed. "Yes, I know, but do I have to?"

Mina slapped her hand on the table. "I have plan!"

"What?" Serena exclaimed, leaning forward over the table.

Ami laid her book down. "Wait a minute! I thought the plan was to tell him the truth?"

Mina blew a raspberry. "And when do we ever do something like that? I have a better idea."

"What is it?" Lita asked before taking a bite of her lunch.

A large grin spread across Mina's face. "I say we set Kyoji up on a date for the Winter Formal, and perhaps he'll become interested in someone else and forget about you."

"That's brilliant!" Serena clapped her hands.

"That's devious. Where do these powers of yours come from?" Lita asked jokingly.

Mina grinned. "What can I say? I'm the Sailor of Love."

"Kyoji and Raye are _engaged_ to be married," Ami insisted.

"Yeah, well, she obviously isn't interested in him. She's dating Daita, so why can't Kyoji date someone else?" Mina asked.

"Who'd you have in mind?" Lita asked.

Mina pondered for a moment. "I'm not sure yet. I do know a lot of girls that would want to go out with him."

"Well, yeah, he is pretty good-looking!" Lita said.

"Why do you go out with him?" Serena suggested.

Lita shook her head. "Nah, he's nice and all, but he's a little too shy for me. Besides, I'm about thinking about asking Taro Kuroshima." She blushed.

"Daita's best friend?" Serena asked.

"Yeah," She sighed dreamily.

Mina kept glancing around the room. "Who can we get to go out with Kyoji?" She asked herself.

"Pick someone nice. He at least deserves that," Serena said.

Mina's eyes darted back and forth around the room until her eyes locked on a young girl with medium length blonde hair, short and small frame, warm smile, and bright green eyes. "She's prefect."

Ami, Lita, and Serena all looked toward the girl that Mina was staring at.

"Achika Nakamura?" Lita questioned. "I thought she was dating someone?"

"Not anymore," Mina said.

Serena stared at the cute blonde. "She's perfect! She's kind, somewhat shy, and cute. She and Kyoji would be perfect for each other."

"Now, how do we get him to ask her to the Winter Formal?" Lita asked.

"No! Kyoji wouldn't go for that! We have to think of something else," Serena said. "I know him. He'd be too shy to ask her."

Mina thought for a moment. "Well, we could tell Kyoji that Achika is having trouble finding a date. You know, make him feel sorry for her and ask if he'd take her. Then we could tell Achika that Kyoji wants to go with her, but is too shy to ask her."

"You are _so_ bad!" Lita shook her head.

"I think this might be crossing the boundaries of ethics," Ami stated. "Why not just let Kyoji find his own date?"

"Sometimes people need a little help, Ami. I thought I was going to have to find you a boyfriend, but you beat me to the punch." Mina giggled.

Ami blushed. "Well, I managed to find someone so why don't you let Kyoji do the same?"

"Because he found Serena, and she's already taken." Mina crossed her arms. "So the Sailor of Love is going to give him a hand. Don't worry, Serena. I've got this all under control."

* * *

There wasn't play practice after school so Raye walked home to the temple by herself. She walked into her house brushing the snow off her jacket. After tossing her backpack into her room, she took of her shoes and headed down the hallway of the house towards the kitchen.

As she slid across the smooth wooden floor, she stared down at her feet as she glided like an ice skater. She glanced up went she heard footsteps in front of her.

"Hi, Raye-san." He smiled brightly.

"Kaiba." She smiled back. "How are you?"

He walked up to her. "I was out today, and many things happened." He smiled even more. "I have a job now!"

"Really?"

"Yes, I am now what you call a barista at Starbucks!" He opened his jacket and showed her the green polo shirt with the coffee company's logo. "They gave me this shirt, and after I work for two weeks, they will give me money."

"That's great."

He grew more serious. "Then I will be able to pay you for my room instead of Ami having to do it."

"Well, I'm sure it would help Ami, but I know she really just wants to help you."

Kaiba nodded. "Yes, but Ami shouldn't have to take care of me. If I have a job, Ami's mother will respect me and approve of me being with Ami."

Raye nodded back. "Yes, you're off to a good start."

Kaiba glanced behind Raye. There was a telephone on a stand behind her and pointed to it. "I saw people with those machines today. Apparently you can have a conversation with them?"

Raye looked behind her at the telephone. "That's a phone. You can use it to talk to other people."

"Really?" His eyebrow cocked. "Can I talk to Ami?"

Raye smirked at how cute he was acting. "Yes, you can talk to Ami if you want."

She walked over to the phone, and Kaiba followed her. Kaiba picked up the phone and put it to his ear. "Ami? Ami, are you there? Ami? Ami?"

Raye held in her laughter as she watched Kaiba yell into the telephone for Ami. She bit her lip to keep from laughing as she dialed Ami's number. Kaiba glanced over at her.

"You have to dial Ami's number first before you can talk to her."

"Oh." He lightly blushed. He waited at the sound of the ringing.

"Hello, Mizuno…" Ami Mizuno answered.

"Ami!" Kaiba exclaimed at the sound of her voice.

"Kaiba?" Ami questioned, surprised he'd be calling her. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to talk to you. Raye showed me how to use this machine. She called it a telephone."

"I'm glad you are learning so quickly."

"Listen Ami, do you think you can come to the temple tonight? I want to talk to you."

"Yes, okay. I'll come by later tonight after I finish my homework."

"Okay thanks, Ami." Kaiba smiled through the phone. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Kaiba hung up the phone while Ami did the same on her end. After she hung up, Ami smiled, shook her head, and returned to her homework.

"Thank you, Raye" Kaiba bowed and turned around to walk down the hallway while Raye headed toward the kitchen for a snack. He turned right and walked past an open door. He stepped backward and looked into the room.

"Martial arts, eh?"

The shy blonde jerked his head up in surprise. Raye had informed that a guest was staying at the temple, but Kyoji hadn't talked to him yet. Kaiba stepped into the room while staring straight at the other boy. "I'm Kaiba."

"Kyoji." He bowed.

Kaiba pondered for a moment, sensing the boy's shyness. He decided to ask a question that Kyoji would be passionate in responding to. "What styles do you practice?"

Kyoji glanced up from the floor. "I know many, but I usually react to what I sense is my opponents strengths and weaknesses."

Kaiba smirked. "Good answer." He nodded. "Care to practice on me a little bit?"

Kyoji nodded and took a defensive stance. Kaiba pulled off his sweater leaving him with an old grey shirt. "Okay, I'm ready.

* * *

They unrelentingly attacked each other for the past two hours. They only stopped to strip off sweaty articles of clothing leaving them just to in their martial arts pants. Sweat soaked their hair. The blue-haired man was stronger, landing in hard hits, but the blonde was faster and more flexible, but each was still talented even in their weaknesses.

They jumped back from one another, catching their breaths. Kaiba stared his opponent down. At first, Kaiba refrained from using his power of strength, but as the match went on, Kaiba released his full-potential on Kyoji. However, his powers were of no avail when fighting Kyoji. The only thing he could do was use his ice powers, but he figured it wouldn't be good idea to have to explain his powers to a mortal. The only thing he could do was marvel at the ability and strength of the blonde-haired fighter.

Kyoji charged first and Kaiba responded in a charge. They ran toward each other knowing that this would be the final blow.

"Here they are." Raye and Ami stepped into the dojo.

Kyoji tripped trying to stop his charge while Kaiba smacked into Kyoji before he even tried to stop. The two men fell to the floor in a big heap. The girls walked up to them.

"Ami!" Kaiba leapt up from the ground. Kyoji stood up slower rubbing his sore head. He arose right in front of Raye.

The raven-haired girl looked at him as he arose, her eyes racking over his body. Her eyes caught the faint sweat that glistened over his muscles. She blushed as thoughts returned to what happened earlier that day. He caught her eyes with his own for a brief moment, but her embarrassment made her eyes trail to the floor.

"I have wonderful news, Ami!" Kaiba grabbed a hold of Ami's hand and dragged her out of the room.

Raye kept her eyes to the floor and slowly started to turn around to leave the room.

"Raye, I'm sorry."

Raye turned around and looked at Kyoji. She looked confused.

Kyoji looked to the floor. "I'm sorry for today."

"Today?" Raye blushed even deeper.

"I'm sorry for kissing you especially when you're in a relationship. I should not have done that. I regret it deeply."

Raye's eyes saddened. "Thank you." She turned around and left the room. She walked down the hallway, heart pounding hard. AS she turned the corner, she was met by her grandfather leading her other friends through the house.

"Raye, you're friends are here."

"Lita? Mina? Serena? What are you doing here?"

"We're actually here to see Kyoji," Mina said.

"Kyoji?" Raye looked confused.

"Tell you what, Serena and I will go talk to Kyoji and Lita can explain things to you."

"Explain what?"

Lita pulled Raye aside while Serena and Mina ran off down the hallway.

"What's going on?"

"Well, you know how Kyoji likes Serena?"

Raye's eyebrows hunched while her stomach went in a knot. "He does?"

"Yeah, so Mina and Serena are trying to set Kyoji up with Achika Nakamura."

"Why?"

"So he won't be upset about not being able to be with Serena."

"Oh." Raye looked to her feet.

* * *

Her friends left giddy and giggly. After an hour, they emerged victorious—Kyoji agreed to go with Achika Nakamura to the dance. Finally, she was alone in her bedroom. She shut the light off and crawled into bed. She laid on her back staring at the ceiling. Her stomach ached horribly as she tried to sleep. She felt sick, but she couldn't figure out exactly why. 


	15. Delivery and Deliverance

**Chapter Fifteen **

**Delivery and Deliverance **

The evil Queen stood before the pool. For days she barely moved away from the hazy waters. Her servants, daughters, and Generals were concerned, but said nothing. She watched the life of the Moon Prince unfold, but the sight of seeing the Sailor of Fire made jealously and rage fill her soul. The Dark Crystal she held onto grew stronger and stronger as her dark intentions transferred into the crystal. Her Generals stood behind her waiting for her orders.

"Azariah," Queen Beryl called.

The Fire General stepped forward timidly. She had spent three days in Beryl's pit—a place worse than hell itself—and she didn't want to go back.

"Have you learned you lesson?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Kanejiro, I am sending you to Earth to kill Sailor Mars."

The possessed man stepped forward. "And what of the others?" His voice was low like a whisper but as dark as the deepest darkness of the universe.

"Kill them."

"If you can manage it, bring back Kaiba. He will suffer for his betrayal to the Negaverse."

"Yes, Queen Beryl," Kanejiro answered.

* * *

It was an extremely cold morning. Kaiba shivered under his blankets as he lay on his mat. His head tossed and turned back and forth until finally his eyes fluttered open. Breathing heavily, he sat up and ran his fingers through his dark blue hair. He glanced over to the corner. His Excalibur rested against the wall in the corner. It was his only possession. He had nothing else. It still seemed too early to get up so he lay back down and closed his eyes.

He quickly drifted back to sleep. At first, nothing but darkness surrounded him. After a while, sounds filled his consciousness. It was cheering and yelling. It was some sort of celebration. Blurs of light appeared and soon focused in. The sun shined brightly that day while the wind gently tickled the skin of the large crowds. Thousands upon thousands of people gathered that day staring from the top of the hill and stretching down into the city. He looked to the top of the hill—a white Roman style palace with blue trim sat there. Along the stone pathway that ran down from the palace, the thousands of people lined up. Colors of blue and white waved everywhere—the people's clothing, the banners and flags—for they were the royal colors of Mercury.

Watching himself as a child, Kaiba stood in the darkness watching the scene unfold from the past. The little boy, that was once himself, looked up and pushed through the mass of people. He finally pushed through to the street. He looked up the hill to see a blue carriage being pulled by white horses. A gleam caught his eye, and he looked down. A silver coin lay on the ground and the boy eagerly picked it up. He marveled at the coin, but he was pushed forward by the excited crowd. The coin fell out of his hand and bounced forward.

The little blue-haired boy leapt forward to try and catch the coin. It bounced away from him and rolled further into the street. The young boy tripped on one of the stones and fell to the ground

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

The boy looked to his left. The carriage was charging forward. Frightened, the boy couldn't move. He covered his face thinking the horses would trample over him.

"What the heck are you doing, kid?"

Kaiba uncovered his face and looked up. The carriage was stopped, and the driver towered before him yelling and screaming at him. "Get up! Get out of the way, stupid boy!"

"Cassius, is there something wrong?"

The driver, Cassius, looked over. The crowd was silent. Cassius blushed from his behavior. "Nothing, your Majesty, it's just that this boy ran out in front of the carriage…"

"That's enough, Cassius. Return to your seat. I will take care of this problem."

Delicate and gentle hands touched the frightened boy. He opened his tear-filled eyes. Before him kneeled a beautiful young woman with ocean blue eyes and hair like the rivers. Her dress was the purest of white and her smile was as warm as the sun.

"Are you an angel?"

She smiled. "No." She took the crying boy into her arms. "What is your name, little one?"

He looked at her and wiped his tears. "Kaiba Hayate."

She finished wiping his tears. "Hayate," She smiled. "What's wrong?"

The blue-haired boy named Hayate looked at his bloody knee. "It hurts really badly."

She looked at his knee, pulled out a white handkerchief, and wiped the bloody knee. "This should take care of it." She held the cloth on his knee for a few moments. "Don't mind Cassius. He can be ill-tempered sometimes." She pulled away the cloth. "There."

"Thank you."

The woman smiled again. "Try to me more careful, Hayate."

He nodded. "I will." She kissed him on the cheek, and he blushed furiously. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "You don't know?"

The boy shook his head.

She brushed her fingers through his dark blue hair. "Just call me Ami, little one." She stood up and left. Hayate stood up and scrambled back to the crowd. He wiggled in, but a man stopped him.

"What did she say to you?"

"What did the Princess say to you?" Another asked.

"Princess?" Hayate looked confused.

The people around Hayate laughed.

"The boy gets to meet Princess Ami, and he doesn't even know who she is!"

Hayate turned around and looked back to the carriage. The woman who talked to him hopped back into the carriage, and they took off. "Princess Ami?"

Kaiba eyes fluttered open. He awoke from his dreams popping up out of his bed. He ran his fingers through his hair and grabbed his head. "Hayate," He whispered. "My name is Hayate."

* * *

Raye stood in the kitchen stocking the cupboards and refrigerator with the newly purchased groceries. It was the weekend and Grandpa and Kyoji left for Shizouka to have Kyoji complete in a martial arts tournament. The temple was closed for the weekend, and Raye was left alone in the house. Of course when Serena found out about this, she took the liberty of inviting everyone over for a party. She invited everyone over for a slumber party, any mostly everyone was coming, except for the outer Sailors. However, Trista decided to come despite the fact that Michelle and Amara thought it too childish.

Soon, all of the Sailors filled the kitchen and worked on preparing lunch. Mina worked on boiling noodles while Raye worked on the rice. Lita ran most of the operation and cooked the meat and vegetables. Serena, Trista, and Ami sat together at the table making small balls out of the cookie-dough batter they made earlier.

The blue-haired man entered the kitchen with the women. He glanced around for a moment then he laid eyes on Trista. His eyes bulged. "You're alive."

Trista looked at him, recognizing that he was once Beryl's Ice General. "You are Beryl's warrior!"

Ami grabbed her hand. "No, it's okay. He is no longer with the Negaverse."

"When?" She asked.

"Fairly recently," Kaiba said.

Trista stood up from her chair, large stomach poking out. "Do you know anything about Kanejiro?"

"Kanejiro?" Kaiba questioned. He pondered for a moment remembering that this woman was the wife of Kanejiro. His felt his heart twinge for a moment now that he understood love. Sadly he looked up at her. "Kanejiro is still under Beryl's spell. I'm sorry."

Trista stepped forward, grabbing onto Kaiba's arm. "Do you know how to free him?" Tears came to her eyes. "Do you know how to break the spell?"

Kaiba looked down to his feet. "No, I'm sorry. Beryl has grown more powerful than anyone could imagine."

Trista sat back down. "Thank you for your help." Her eyes still stinging with tears, she sat silently with her heartbroken.

Kaiba stared at her, reading her thoughts. "There is always hope." She jerked her head up to look at him. She nodded silently then wiped her tears. She composed herself, and they all went back to work.

Kaiba sat down at the table next to Ami. He looked at her and grabbed her hand. "Can I talk to you?"

She looked up from the cookies. "Yes, what is it?"

Kaiba stood up and pulled her out of the kitchen. He walked her down the hallway and took her to the tea room.

"Ami, who were you in your past life?"

Ami pondered for a moment. "I'm not exactly sure." She thought some more. "All of us were once apart of the Silver Millennium. All of us swore to protect the Queen Serenity and her daughter, Princess Serenity."

"And who were you?"

"Princess of Mercury."

Kaiba took a hold of her hands. "I had a dream, and you were there as a Princess."

"I was there…?"

"Hayate!" He interrupted in excitement.

"What?"

Kaiba smiled while shaking her hands. "My name is Hayate. I remembered it in the dream. You asked me my name, and I said Kaiba Hayate. Kaiba's my last name, and Hayate is my first name."

"Hayate," Ami gently uttered.

(PAGE BREAK)

"Looks like a blizzard, guys." Lita came into the living room from outside. "I think we should stay put."

Raye came in from the kitchen. "That's what the radio said too."

It was early in the afternoon. They finished the lunch they had prepared and were congregated in the living room. Since they were snowed in, they decided to stay put and watch a movie. Everyone was relaxed except for Kaiba who had never seen a movie before. He sat on his knees eagerly in front of the television watching the characters appear. At first, he would touch the screen trying to reach into it, but he quickly realized that people weren't actually inside the box.

"I thought you said movies was a place, Mina-san." Kaiba frowned while looking at her.

"A movie theater is a place where you can go to see movies, but you can watch movies here too."

"But how are people on the screen?"

"Movie cameras are used to take pictures of people. Then you can play the pictures back. That's called a movie," Mina said. "I don't know how to explain it."

He thought deeply for a moment. "This camera thing must take so many pictures then flashes them back so fast it looks like the pictures are moving."

Ami marveled at his intellect. "Yes, that's about right, Kai…I mean, Hayate."

He glanced over at her and smiled at the sound of his name.

"Hey! Look over here!"

Hayate turned his head and looked toward the voice. A bright light flashed, and he shielded his eyes. "What are you doing?"

Raye walked over and showed him the picture she took of him with her digital camera. "I took a picture of you."

He looked at the picture and studied it for a moment. "Take one of those pictures of me and my girlfriend!" He leapt up and squeezed next to Ami on the couch. She blushed deeply. Kaiba always told everyone and anyone who would listen that Ami Mizuno was his girlfriend. He would annoy most people with his excitement and enthusiasm, but Ami always found it endearing. Raye took a picture of the two then snapped some more of her other friends. They eventually returned to watching the movie. Sitting in silence for a long time, Serena became bored and glanced around the room—she had seen this movie almost a hundred times. She glanced over at Trista who kept shifting and twisting in her chair.

"Are you alright, Trista?"

The green-haired woman looked over at Serena, slight pain on her face. "Yes, it's just I'm not feeling so well."

"What's the matter?" Raye asked.

"I don't know. I just feel so sick." Trista stoop up from her chair. Her eyes bulged as horror washed over her face. "Oh, no!" She grabbed her stomach.

One phrase communicated everything. Everyone else jumped up from his or her seat and surrounded Trista.

"Are you sure?" Lita asked.

Trista shook her head in panic. "I don't know."

"What happened?" Ami asked, serious and commanding tone overtaking her. "What are your symptoms?"

"I'm having stomach pains so I stood up then I felt this gush…"

"Ewww!" Mina and Serena shuttered together.

Raye snapped her fingers. "Quiet, you two!"

"What should we do, Ami?" Hayate asked.

Ami thought for a moment. "We're in the middle of a blizzard. We can't take her out of here. We'll have to call the paramedic and see if they can get to the temple. If not, we're going to have to deliver the child."

"What!" Mina exclaimed. "Deliver a baby ourselves?" She started to panic. "We can't do that!"

"Raye, take us to an open room. We'll need lots of space. Lita, get us some towels. Hayate, you'll assist me." Ami looked over at Mina and Serena. "Uh, you two just stay here."

* * *

As time went on, conditions grew worse. The wind howled outside blowing in inches and inches of snow. Paramedics were unable to reach the temple. In the late afternoon, the power had gone out, leaving them only in the candlelight, and they worked in the darkness for hours trying to help Trista.

Serena walked down the dark hallways carrying a small candle. Loud screams and cries echoed throughout the dark house. She headed through the maze of hallways until she reached the tea room. In the middle of the sliding door, Mina sat solemnly watching the scene unfold. Serena looked into the room while standing. Amidst the candlelight, Trista lay on the floor screaming and holding onto Raye and Lita for dear life. It was what they feared: Trista's baby was going to be born. Nervously, Ami sat on her knees in-between Trista's legs. Of course, she had studied the birthing process and pregnancy in her science courses and knew the details inside and out, but when the circumstances were real, it terrified her. She closed her eyes and gasped deeply for air. She only opened them at the touch of a hand on her shoulder. She glanced to the body next to her.

"It's okay, Ami. You can do this." Hayate nodded.

Ami sighed, releasing her stress, and nodded back. She turned back to Trista. "You're doing fine, Trista."

Trista nodded furiously as she worked on another push. She was still very strong from her Sailor days and had considerable muscle strength to push. She gripped Raye and Lita's hands tightly and pushed again.

The clock ticked into the twilight hours of the night. With her last ounce of strength and energy, Trista pushed one more time. Everyone crowded around the woman as she released her final scream. Raye and Lita held her hands tightly while Serena and Mina held each other in the doorway. Hayate and Ami glanced at each other quickly, smiles on their faces, then turned their eyes forward. Together in their hands, they caught the child.

There was silence for a few seconds until the shrill of an infant cried out in the darkness. At the sound, Mina squeezed Serena while tears of joy ran down Serena's face. Raye and Lita released Trista's hands while she felt against Raye with a laugh of relief. Gingerly, Hayate cut the child free while Ami cleaned the child off. The child was wiped down with water and wrapped in towels. Taking the child into her arms, Ami walked over on her knees to Trista's side and handed her the child.

Eagerly, Trista glanced up and took the child in her arms. She glanced back at Ami and smiled.

"You have a son, Trista."

"Thank you, Ami." Tears leaked from her eyes.

"What will you name him?" Serena asked. Serena and Mina walked up and sat at Trista's side.

Trista stared at her son lovingly. "Kazuki—he is our light and our hope." She looked at the Sailors with tears. "Kanejiro chose this name if we had a son."

Everyone gathered around and marveled at what had happened. They sat in silence for a few minutes making Trista comfortable and clearing away the mess. Ami cleared her throat. "We should probably leave her alone now. Who do you want to stay with you, Trista?"

Trista glanced around the room then locked eyes with Serena. "Serena, I want you to stay with me."

Serena smiled and nodded. Everyone got up and headed out the doorway. Ami looked back at Trista and Serena. "You should probably start feeding now, Trista."

Trista looked up. "Thank you."

Ami nodded. "Your welcome."

* * *

She had trouble sleeping that night. Adrenaline rushed through her veins like a rollercoaster. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as she lay awake staring at the ceiling. "I actually helped bring a child into this world," Ami said to herself, almost trembling. Now she knew more than ever before she wanted to be a doctor. Excitement rattled her nerves that she figured it was no use to try and sleep. She crawled out of her sleeping bag and stepped around the other sleeping bodies. She left Raye's room and walked down the hallway. She passed by the tearoom and checked on Trista and the baby. After a few moments in there, she headed to the kitchen for something to drink.

Hayate looked up from the table. He sat in the candlelight slipping on a soda. "This drink is wonderful, Ami-chan," He said solemnly.

She sat down next to him and looked at the can. "Yes, but it's full of sugar. It will ruin your teeth."

Hayate frowned. "Sorry."

She smiled. "It's okay. Just don't drink this too much." She sat silent for a moment, noticing something was bothering him.

"Why can't you sleep?" He finally asked.

"I don't know." She naturally smiled. "I'm too excited. I actually helped bring a child into this world. I've never been so sure in my entire life that I wanted to be a doctor."

Hayate looked at her, meeting her eyes. "Yes, I understand." His eyes started to water.

"What is it?" She grabbed his hand.

He looked to the table. "I was trained to kill—to end life, but when I caught life in my hands tonight, I…" He looked up into her eyes and faint tears streamed down his face. "Regret eats my soul away. I do not deserve to live after the things I have done."

She put her arm around him and used her other hand to brush his hair out of his eyes. "You've changed. You're a different person now, and it's a much better thing to change and turn from wickedness than have your life end in an evil state."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. He stared down at the table processing his thoughts. After a while, Hayate looked up, caught her eyes in a deep gaze, and faintly smiled. "Why are you so good to me, Ami-chan? You should not even care for me."

"But I already do." She reached up and grabbed his chin, turning his face toward her. He stared at her for a few moments until she kissed him. Their lips brushed against each others softly in the candlelight. Their kisses grew deeper, with Ami being the one who pushed them further. Her forwardness surprised him, but it always made him joyously laugh on the inside when she'd break out of her shell for him. They continued until something struck their sixth sense. They pulled away from each other.

"What was that?" Ami asked.

Hayate already leapt to his feet. "I felt it too." He charged out of the kitchen while Ami followed behind him. They rushed to Hayate's rented room. He grabbed his Excalibur and charged back out of the room. Soon, they were met by the other Sailors in the hallway.

"What should we do?" Raye asked.

Hayate kept walking and the girls followed him. "Serena, you stay and protect Trista."

Serena nodded.

"The rest of you, come with me." Kaiba charged outside into the blizzard. The Sailors transformed inside then stepped out into the cold night.

Snowflakes swirled around like a raging tempest. The wind howled through the cold night air and instantly chapped the skin of the Sailors' legs and arms. Hayate stepped forward, his feet sinking deep into the snow with each step, and shielded his eyes from the snow. The Sailors peered into the snowy darkness.

Glowing red eyes like the fires of hell appeared in the darkness. The faint sound of scrapping metal entered the ears of the Sailors over the howling of the wind. Before they knew it, the mystery warrior had charged forward and Hayate was blocking with his Excalibur.

Sailor Jupiter charged forward, sinking into the snow. "C'mon! Let's help him!" She threw a punch at the mystery warrior. She missed completely as he disappeared then reappeared, striking her on the back. Three long tears into her flesh appeared on her back as the mystery warrior ran his blades over her.

"Sailor Jupiter!" Sailor Venus hollered. The Sailors started over at the mystery warrior while Hayate stood in front of them in a protective stance. His hair was black with silver highlights. Eyes that were once a deep and pure purple were now hellfire red. Draped in black clothing, he stood ready to fight with three long sharp blades piercing out of the tops of his hands.

"Who is it?" Sailor Mars asked.

"Kanejiro," Hayate answered.

The Sailors gasped and stared closer at the man. This was Trista's husband and the father of her newborn baby.

"What should we do?" Sailor Mercury asked. "We need Sailor Moon if we have any hope of breaking the spell on him."

"Alright, go get her. We'll hold him off until she's ready." Hayate charged forward and entered into combat with Kanejiro again. Sailor Mercury ran off into the house to retrieve Sailor Moon. The other three Sailors tried to assist Hayate in battle, but as usual, their attacks were of no avail. Mars threw fire rings while Venus used her whip and Jupiter tried to land in more punches. Each attack either missed completely or was blocked effortlessly by Kanejiro. Only was Hayate able to match the possessed man's strength. The mysterious warrior of metal would disappear and reappear, blend in and hide with the swirling mists of snow, and easily hide within the night.

Soon, Sailor Moon was brought out into to the snow storm. She waved her powerful wand and summoned her healing powers. "MOON HEALING ACTIVITATION!" The darkness of the night fled at the light beam the wand created. The golden light shot out and flew past all the Sailors. Hayate leapt out of the way, leaving a direct hit for Kanejiro. The light passed through his body and shined on him, but his eyes remained the same—as red and evil as ever.

The Sailors gasped at the failure of Sailor Moon's wand. While they were stunned, Kanejiro launched a counterattack. Flying toward Sailor Mercury with his claws extended, Kanejiro flew in the air at a blurring speed.

"AMI!" Hayate evaporated.

"When one is about to die, time slows down." Ami said to herself as she watched Kanejiro's claws aiming toward her heart. It was slow motion. Ever so slowly, he flew towards her. Her mind saw everything, but her body couldn't react.

"SAILOR MERCURY!" The other Sailors screamed, which sounded like slow-motion screaming to Ami.

TWANG!

They all gasped. Time returned to its normal speed in Ami's mind. She looked before her. Blocking the claws of Kanejiro, a dark masked man stood between Sailor Mercury and Kanejiro. The man stood in a tuxedo with a long black cape with a dark blue inside. He had a white mask to cover his eyes, but no top hat for his head. He held a long sword in his hands which he used to block the blades that were going to kill Ami.

"Hayate?" Sailor Mercury uttered.

The masked man kicked Kanejiro, and Kanejiro flew into the snow drifts across the yard. He glanced back at Sailor Mercury and smiled. Relieved and astonished, she let out a deep sigh. The masked man turned his attention back to Kanejiro. However, Kanejiro was up out of the drifts and had his arm around Sailor Mars' neck.

The masked man stepped forward. "Kanejiro! Leave her alone!"

"The Queen says she must be destroyed," His sinister voice ran shivers down Sailor Mars' spine.

"Why? What did she ever do to the Negaverse?" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"The future," He uttered then pulled Sailor Mars into the house. She tried to kick and scream, but he prevented her. He dragged her body down the hallway, but she was too feisty. He threw her into the closest room then extended his claws. "I will kill you now."

"Kanejiro?"

The possessed warrior looked over. He had thrown Raye into the tea room with Trista and the newborn. Sailor Mars frantically looked over, seeing the attention of the warrior was on Trista and the child. "Hey! You! Hey, fight me! Hey!" Kanejiro ignored the taunts of Sailor Mars and stepped forward. Trista, who held her child in her arms, backed up in fear against the wall. Soon, the masked man and the other Sailors ran into the tea room and stopped once they saw Trista and the baby cornered by Kanejiro.

She was completely frozen except for the pounding in her chest. He slowly stepped closer and closer to her making her heart swell with fear and terror. His red eyes locked onto the bundle in her arms.

Out of the red eyes, a tear from each side rolled down the possessed man's cheeks. Trista watched the teardrops fall to the floor.

"Get him before he hurts Trista and the baby!" Sailor Venus yelled while stepping forward.

"WAIT!" Trista hollered.

Kanejiro dropped to his knees. He grabbed at his hair and pulled on it in anguish. He touched his head to the floor and grunted through his teeth. He then raised his head up screaming the most terrifying and horrible scream imaginable. Instantly, the child started to cry and fear seized the entire group. Black spirits started to be expelled from his body, but as soon as they were expelled, they would try to enter back into his body.

The masked man looked at Sailor Moon. "Use your powers now! It should be able to work!"

Sailor Moon nodded. "MOON HEALING ACTIVITATION!"

Again the golden light filled the darkness and streamed forward piercing through Kanejiro's body. The black spirits were soon expelled and evaporated in the healing light of the Moon wand. The screaming became the screaming of a normal man instead of the tortured screams and squeals of evil spirits. Soon, the screaming stopped and the man collapsed on the floor.

"Kanejiro? Kanejiro!" Trista kneeled to the floor and shook the body of her husband. "KANEJIRO!"

He fluttered his deep purple eyes open and looked up from the floor. "Trista?" He uttered, slightly confused. "What happened? Where am I?"

"Kanejiro!" She fell into his arms on the floor. "Oh, I thought I'd never see you again!"

He sat up from the floor and noticed the bundle of white blankets in Trista's arm. He looked at her questioningly and she pulled back the blankets, revealing the face of their little boy. He looked at Trista, completely shocked. "When?"

"Tonight." She passed the bundle into Kanejiro's arms. "His name is Kazuki."

Kanejiro glanced back at Trista with the largest grin in the world then turned his eyes back to his son. After starting at his child for a few moments, he looked up at the Sailor Scouts. "Thank you." He glanced around to all of them. "Thank you so much for saving me." He then locked eyes on the masked man. "Kaiba?"

The masked man stepped forward while taking off his white mask. He nodded.

"Hayate, what happened to you? You look like Tuxedo Mask and Tuxedo Samurai," Sailor Venus asked.

Hayate looked at Sailor Venus and smirked. "My name is Tuxedo Knight."

Sailor Mercury walked up to Tuxedo Knight and locked her arm with his. "Tuxedo Knight?"

He nodded and looked down at Ami with a faint smile. "I remember everything now. My name is Hayate Kaiba, and I'm destined to protect you as Tuxedo Knight, Princess Ami."

Sailor Mercury smiled and leaned her head against Tuxedo Knight's arm. Everyone turned their attention back toward Kanejiro and Trista and watched contently as the happy parents held their newborn son.


	16. The Winter Formal

**Chapter Sixteen**

**The Winter Formal**

The four of them sat alone in the student recreation area at Matsumura High. It was their own personal table—well at least it was unofficially designated their table. It was the popular table. It was reserved for only the most athletic, beautiful, and fashionable people of Matsumura High. Leaning back in a chair and drinking out of a glass soda bottle, Daita sat with his two best friends, Izumi and Taro, and his rival, Yusuke Yosukura.

Yusuke, a shaggy black haired boy who was captain of the baseball team, glanced away from the table toward a blonde girl who walked past. "So Michiko Showa is going to the Winter Formal with me." He grinned while looking back to Daita.

Daita's eyebrows hunched. "Well, Raye Hino is going with me as planned." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You might as well consider me the winner."

Yusuke smirked. "But the bet is to get that snot to sleep with you that night. I don't think you've won yet."

Daita glanced over. "Please, that girl is mine. She does everything I tell her to. It's pathetic!" He laughed. "I'll have her in bed before midnight."

"You think so, eh?" Yusuke said. "We'll just have to see about that, won't we?"

"Yes, we will."

The boys became distracted as a tall brunette walked up clutching her books tightly and pressing them against her chest. She kept her head hung low and her gaze toward her feet.

"What do you want?" Izumi sneered.

The brunette glanced up, brushing a lock of brown hair out of her eyes. "Um, hi…" She uttered.

"Can…can…can…I…I…uh…help…help you?" Daita mocked her stutter then laughed with the other three boys.

"Actually, I…" The girl paused. "Taro, I…I noticed you weren't going to the Winter Formal with anyone…"

"What's your name?" Taro interrupted.

The brunette looked up into his eyes. "Lita. Kino Lita." She paused for a second. "Anyway, I noticed you weren't going with anyone, and I was wondering if you'd go with me…"

Taro and the other boys burst out in laughter interrupting Lita's sentence. She glanced around for a moment. "What's so funny?"

Taro stopped laughing. "Why in the world would I ever go with someone like you?"

Lita shifted her books in her arms. "Why not?" She asked timidly.

"Why not?" Izumi asked. "Because we don't allow dogs at the dance! So why don't you get lost?"

"Alright." Lita managed to utter before she charged off. As she walked away, the boys burst out into heavier laugher. She tried to hold back the tears in her eyes, but one managed to escape.

* * *

She folded her arms over her chest as the cold air blew straight into her face. They had walked in silence most of the journey from late night practice, but he broke the silence when he suggested where they should eat dinner. Stepping into the warm restaurant, Raye slipped off her jacket and walked over to a booth. Kyoji followed behind her taking off his jacket. She sat down on one side while he took the other. They both grabbed the menus and looked over them.

"Kyoji?"

They both looked up to see a young waitress with blonde hair and green eyes.

"Achika, how are you?" Kyoji faintly smiled.

Raye looked at Achika for a moment then looked over at Kyoji as he smiled.

"I'm a little tired. It's been a long night." She said. "Can I take your orders?"

"Miso soup and rice, please." He glanced over at Raye. "How about you, Raye-san?"

Raye snapped out of her daze after she heard her name. "Oh, me? I'm not hungry."

"But you said at school you were starving…"

"I said I'm not hungry!" Raye snapped.

Kyoji looked back to Achika. "That will be all, thank you." He smiled again, and she smiled back before leaving.

Raye folded her arms and leaned back in the booth. "Why did you want to come here?" Her eyebrows hunched.

Kyoji shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted to try it."

"Well, I hate it here!"

Kyoji looked up at her. "Why didn't you say anything?" She scowled at him which made an extremely confused expression appear on his face. "Have you been here before?"

"No!" Raye snapped. "But I hate it anyway!" She jumped up from her seat and stormed out of the restaurant. Kyoji leapt up out of the booth and chased after her. Achika watched Raye storm out of the restaurant and came up to Kyoji.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"I don't know," Kyoji said. "Could you just cancel my order, please?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'll do that."

"Thank you." He grabbed his jacket and Raye's since she stormed off without it. As he exited the restaurant, he looked to the left and the right to see where Raye went. She was heading right so he chased after her.

"Raye-san, what is wrong?"

She charged faster. "Just leave me alone! Go eat your dinner!"

Kyoji jogged and handed Raye her jacket. She snatched it from his hands and put it on. "Raye, please stop!"

"Just leave me alone!" She hollered again.

"Raye, I'm sorry!"

She stopped walking. He stood behind her, not daring to step forward and look at her face.

"Sorry for what?" She asked, softly.

"I don't know." He shook his head and sighed deeply. "Whatever I've done, I apologize for it. I never wanted to hurt you or cause you any harm."

She stood silent for a few moments. "Just go back." She finally answered.

"I can't," He faintly uttered. He was silent for a moment. "I know you hate me, but I could never forgive myself if something happened to you, Raye-san," he said staring at his feet.

She said nothing but continued walking at a normal pace. He followed her back to the temple silently. In silence, they parted back to their own rooms for the night.

* * *

She pushed the clasp on her necklace behind her neck. She was finished. Taking a step back and looking into the mirror, she checked if everything was perfect. Her eyes started at her white shoes, trailed up the small portion of leg to her pure white dress. Sweeping across her reflection all the way up to her head, she faintly smiled. "I look good," she thought to herself. Her eyes glanced over to the clock. Her date would be here at any moment. She grabbed her small white purse and stepped out of her bedroom.

The winter weather had died down that weekend making it perfect for the dance that night. Raye stepped out onto her deck, closed her bedroom door, then she looked up.

"Hey, babe, ready to go?"

"Daita?" Raye blinked.

"Yeah?" He held out his arms. "Were you expecting someone else?"

Raye shook her head quickly. "No, I uh…you look...nice."

"Thanks." He smirked. Dressed in a pinstriped purple suit, a feathered hat, a large gold medallion, and a cane in his hand, Daita smiled while tapping his cane into the ground. "I do look good don't I?"

Raye paused for a moment. "Yes, you look…" She cringed at the thought of him looking like a Pimp, but she ignored her thoughts. "…fine. You look fine." She waited for a second. "What do you think of my dress?"

"Izumi and Taro had to copy me, of course," Daita went on.

"Of course," She uttered. She glanced to her left. Something caught her attention. In black fitted tuxedo with a black bow tie, Kyoji walked down the deck of the temple. His tuxedo was simple yet eye-catching—she couldn't keep her eyes off him. He approached the raven-haired girl. She gingerly glanced up at him, catching his eyes. He faintly smiled. "You look very beautiful tonight…I mean…not just tonight…I…" He blushed at his fumbling words then sighed deeply. "You look lovely, Raye."

She gently nodded. "Thank you. You look nice yourself."

He gently nodded back then glanced over at Daita, who was tapping his foot impatiently on the sidewalk.

"Come on, Raye! We've got to go!"

She looked over at Daita too. "Yes, I'm coming. Just a moment." She looked back to Kyoji. "What are you doing before the dance?"

"Hayate and I saved our money to take Ami and Achika on a carriage to the dance," Kyoji said.

"Oh, that should be fun." Raye sighed. "Daita got a limo for us tonight."

Kyoji nodded. "Well, have a good time tonight. Perhaps I will see you there."

Raye nodded then stepped down off the deck. She locked her arm with Daita's as he escorted her down the sidewalk. She turned her head back to watch as Kyoji walked back down the deck.

* * *

"Serena, stop dragging me!"

"Just come on, Lita."

"I don't want to be here!"

"Nonsense!" Serena pulled Lita into the dance. "Now isn't this nice?" She looked around. The room was dark and covered with thousands of decorations. At the moment, techno music was playing and the strobe lights were going off.

Lita pulled her arm back. "Serena, I feel stupid." Lita looked down, her eyes trailing over her black dress. In a sparkling light pink dress, Serena wrapped her arms around her friend. "What Taro did was wrong. Don't let him ruin your night."

Lita glanced around the room. "But I'm here by myself!"

"So?" Serena shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sure there are some guys here by themselves. Why don't you go introduce yourself?"

"Hey, girls!" Hayate walked up in a tuxedo with a black pants and a white jacket with Ami on his arm. She smiled while wearing a light blue dress.

"Hey, you two!" Serena hugged Ami. "You look beautiful."

"You bet she does!" Hayate added.

Ami blushed. "Thank you. So do you." Ami nodded then hugged Lita. "How are you?"

"Terrible." She folded her arms.

Ami sighed. "I'm sorry, Lita."

In her signature color—orange—Mina walked up with her date, Shin Nishimoto, a friend from art class. She smiled brightly at the sight of her friends. "You all look wonderful!"

"Thanks, Mina." Serena turned around to look at Mina. Just then Darien, in a black tuxedo with a red bow tie, came back with two punch glasses. She handed one to Serena. "Thank you, dear."

"Your welcome." Darien took a slip of his drink. He looked around at the four girls. "Where's Raye?"

"Oh, I saw her over there." Mina pointed behind her. Everyone looked to the other side of the room. Daita, in his purple Pimp suit, was dueling Taro, in a green Pimp suit, with his cane while Izumi, in an orange Pimp suit, cheered them on. Raye was leaning against the wall with her arms folded across her chest and looking bored.

Serena's eye caught something else. She looked over to the entrance. Kyoji walked into the room escorting Achika on his arm. "Awe, look! They're so cute together!" Everyone looked over and had the same reaction. They watched as Kyoji guided Achika to a table and pulled out the chair for her. She sat down, he pushed her in, and then took a seat next to her.

"Well, the night is young!" Mina said. "I'll see you guys later!" She left and her date followed behind her.

Hayate and Ami naturally flowed into the crowd and moved into another part of the room while Serena quickly dragged Darien over to the refreshment table. Left alone, Lita sighed and headed over to the darkest corner of the room and found herself a spot on the wall.

* * *

She looked into her empty cup then glanced back towards the dance floor. She wasn't much of a dancer, but she wanted to be out there with the other couples. Her eyes scanned over the crowd but always found rest on one couple. He wasn't much of a dancer either. She smirked while he robotically moved off beat to the music. He was cute when he was nervous. Her faint smile immediately turned to a frown when the blonde-haired boy shared a smile with his date at one of his dancing blunderings.

Kyoji was a shy boy by nature. He rarely spoke unless spoken to of course, but with another shy person, he felt somewhat at ease with this girl. She was gentle and kind, and he had somewhat of an understanding with her. As they danced, he noticed her eyes always drifting off to the side.

"Is there something wrong?" Kyoji asked.

Achika smiled. "No, I'm fine. I'm having a wonderful time." She glanced over to the side again.

Kyoji looked over and caught what Achika was looking at. He then turned back to Achika. "You like him, don't you?"

Achika looked surprised. "What are you talking about?" She blushed. "Yes."

"Why don't you ask him to dance?"

"But I'm here with you."

Kyoji smiled. "I don't mind. If you like him, you should talk to him. I don't think he came with anyone."

"Really?" She smiled.

Kyoji nodded. "Yes, I mean it."

Achika looked at him and marveled for a moment. "You know, Kyoji, you're a really good friend."

He nodded. "Thank you."

She then grinned. "So? Who do you like?"

Kyoji blushed. "Who do I like?"

"Yeah, there's got to be someone right? So who's the lucky girl?" Achika faintly laughed. "I told you, you have to tell me."

Kyoji sighed. "It doesn't matter." He looked down to his shoes. "I could never have her anyway."

* * *

Finally, Daita walked up to Raye and offered to dance. The boy in the purple Pimp suit strolled onto the dance floor with Raye trailing behind him. Once she caught up, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her tightly against him. First his hands rested at her mid-back. He slowly started to trail lower which made Raye uncomfortable, but she didn't say anything. Raye peered through the other couples. There was Serena and Darien, Hayate and Ami, Mina was sitting down with Shin, and there was Kyoji dancing with Lita. She faintly smiled at the sight.

"Thank you for dancing with me, Kyoji." Lita glanced into his eyes, tears almost filling in hers.

"You're my friend, Lita." Kyoji smiled. As he directed her on the dance floor, Taro and Izumi flew by with their dates. Lita turned her head as they both made barking noises at her. Immediately, Kyoji stopped dancing and pulled away from Lita. "Excuse me! That is no way to treat a lady!" He started Izumi and Taro down.

"Oooo! What is she? Your girlfriend?" Izumi laughed.

"There's laws about humans dating animals!" Taro added just before he and Izumi directed their dates off to another section to the floor.

Kyoji turned back to Lita and resumed dancing with her. She was somewhat surprised, never seeing him that outspoken before, but it made her feel special on the inside.

"Don't pay attention to people like that. They don't know what they are talking about."

Tears escaped Lita's eyes.

Kyoji sighed. "Lita, you're fine just the way you are. Someday someone special is going to see that."

"I'm afraid not," She uttered. "Can we please just go sit down?"

He nodded. "Sure." He escorted her off the dance floor.

* * *

Raye sighed. Her eyes went all over the room as she was turned in the dance. She was feeling sick to her stomach, and a headache was swirling in her mind.

Daita pulled away from her. "Do you want to get out of here?"

She looked surprised. That was a great idea. "What'd you have in mind?"

"There's a balcony I saw earlier."

Raye nodded. "Yes, that'd be wonderful."

"Okay." He took a hold of her hand and led her off the dance floor. As they passed the tables, Izumi and Taro walked up.

"Where are you two going?" Taro asked.

"Just for some fresh air," Daita said.

"Alright man, see you later." Izumi said before walking off with Taro while Daita and Raye headed for the balcony.

"Man, he's gonna win," Taro said. He walked over to a table and sat down. Izumi sat with him.

"Yeah, Daita's definitely going to screw that little slut tonight."

Taro laughed. "I was getting real sick of her." He made a sound of disgust. "And her friends. But after tonight, he won't need her anymore."

"Where's he doing it at?"

"He apparently got a hotel for it."

Izumi chuckled. "I just would have done in the back seat of the car. She isn't worth shelling out the money for a hotel."

"Yeah, well, if he wants to get her to sleep with him, he's gotta make it all magical and pretend he's in love with her."

"I suppose you're right."

They both laughed hard together.

Standing a few feet away at the punch table and listening to the conversation, Kyoji dropped his cup of punch on the floor and ran off.

* * *

Raye looked over the balcony into the gardens of the reception hall the dance was at. They were so far away from the dance, Raye could barely even hear the music. It made her feel a little better to be away from it all. It was a cold but beautiful night. The moon was full, and the stars glimmered brightly. She glanced over but was soon caught in a kiss. Physically, he was a good kisser, but something always seemed to be missing for her. He pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "Raye."

"Yes?" She looked confused.

"These pat few months have been something really special to me."

"They have?"

"You're the most wonderful girl I've ever met. I just love you so much."

"Love?" She looked even more confused.

"I love you. Do you love me?"

"I…uh…" She was speechless. "Well, I…uh…um…"

Daita wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "I love you so much. There's something special between us. I just want to be close to you." He kissed her check then started to trail down her neck. "I love you." His hands came up to her shoulders, and as he kissed down her left side, he slid the strap of her dress down.

"What are you doing!" She pushed him away and pulled her strap back up.

"What?" He threw his hands up. "I thought you said you loved me!"

"I never said that!" She spat.

"Don't you love me?" He walked forward.

"No, I don't!" She took a step back.

He kept walking forward, anger starting to wash over his face. "I love you, Raye, and this is how you treat me?"

"If you loved me, you wouldn't do things like that!"

His anger relented into a sweet and gentle tone, and he approached more slowly. "Raye, please, I want to show you that I love you. This is what people do when they are in love. I got us a hotel. We can be all alone—just the two of us tonight." He kept walking forward, and she kept stepping back. Eventually, her back hid against the wall. "Don't you love me, Raye?"

"Daita, get away from me! I don't love you!" She started to run

Anger resurfaced as he charged forward, pressing his body against hers and shoving her back into the wall. He pressed as hard as he could, making her faintly cry out as he crushed her against the wall. "You are my girlfriend, and you are coming with me!" He hissed, anger seething in his voice.

"Never!" She tried to push him away and run again.

He still had a hold of her arm. He jerked her back and grabbed at her with his other arm. He caught her strap and ripped it off her dress. He flung her to the ground. "I will do it here if I have to!" He stared her down, removed his purple jacket, and tossed it to the side.

Suddenly, a hand went on Daita's shoulder. He spun around with a look of confusion, then a fist went into his face. He topped over and fell to the ground. He passed out from such a hard blow.

"Raye!" Kyoji ran over to Raye and helped her up. "Raye, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Raye quickly scrambled up without Kyoji's assistance as much as possible. She squinted her eyes trying to keep the tears from falling, but it was of no avail.

"Raye, please, tell if you're okay?" He tried to take her into his arms, but she pushed him away and ran off.

"Just leave me alone!" She exclaimed while running off.  
"Raye, wait!"

He turned around and followed her. She ran as fast as she could down the winding staircases and long hallways. While they ran through the sections that the students were in, Raye was able to weave in and out while Kyoji was caught up by the crowd. She burst out of the building and into the streets. Following behind, he chased her down a few streets, but lost her. He kept running and hollering her name until he got tired. He stopped in the middle of a street once he completely lost her. "RAYE! RAYE! WHERE ARE YOU! RAYE!" He looked around and then continued to run even through he had no idea where she was.

* * *

She couldn't run anymore, and her feet were killing her. She couldn't hear his voice anymore. "I think I lost him," She said to herself. Gasping for air, she headed into an alley to hide. She walked in.

"Look what we have here, boys"

Raye peered into the darkness. Out of the shadows appeared three boys. They were dressed in black with wholly jeans and chains hanging from them. Raye started to back up out of the alley.

"What's the rush, doll face?" One of the boys asked.

"I'm sorry, I'm leaving now."

The boys stepped forward. "Why don't you stay and have some fun, girl."

"Get her!" The lead boy hollered.

Raye turned around to run, but she crashed into a body. He grabbed a hold of her in his arms. There was another boy behind her.

"Leave me alone!" Raye screamed, trying to fight out of the grip of the other boy.

"She's a pretty one, isn't she?" One of the boys walked up and grabbed Raye by the chin. She fought away from the boy's grip, but he grabbed her face and covered her mouth.

"Let her go!"

The four boys looked at the entrance of the alley. "Who are you?" One of the boys asked.

Raye glanced to the entrance. The shadow man pulled out a sword—the blade glimmered in the moonlight. The boys stood silent for a moment. They released Raye and scurried away.

Raye stood up from the ground and looked at the shadow. He stepped forward. She smiled. "Tuxedo Samurai."

The dark warrior smiled. "Are you alright?"

She nodded.

"Let me take you home."

She shook her head. "I don't want to go home."

* * *

In his arms she felt warm. It was cold that night, but in his arms, she was so warm. Together they sat in a tree in the park just staring up at the moon.

"It's so cold. How are you keeping me warm?" She asked, her words spoken against his chest.

He faintly smiled as he hugged her tighter. "I have powers of light, healing, and warmth"

She looked up at him. "How?"

He was silent for a moment. "I don't know."

"You'll figure it out someday."

He placed his hand on her cheek. "I hope I figure out who I am, and what is my destiny with you."

She looked at his white mask, as if she could see through to his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her. She responded gently to the kiss then buried her face back into his chest. She sighed. Her dreams of the past revealed that she had some sort of destiny with this masked man. She felt a deep connection with him, and the dreams that he appeared to her felt so real, yet there was a disconnect. This masked man, whoever he was, was someone of her past. Between her past life and her present, there felt as if there was a gap. Yes, she knew this man was her love of the past, but someone else was on her mind that moment in her present life.

* * *

**Don't worry, friends! Mina and Lita action is coming up next! **


	17. Princess Jupiter

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Princess Jupiter**

Mina, Serena, and Raye stood at Serena's locker chatting about the weekend. Raye was mostly silent, and didn't want to talk about what happened even though the whole school was talking about the huge bruise that covered half of Daita Atsuji's face. With hearts and stars in her eyes, Serena rattled off every detail of the night with Darien from what she ate that morning for breakfast to when he asked if she was sitting on his watch in the car as he took her home.

Serena glanced over at the entrance of the hallway. "Oh, look at them! They are so cute!"

"Yeah," Mina sighed. "My plan really worked. I think he really likes her."

Kyoji and Achika walked down the hallway having a conversation together and laughing.

Raye scowled for a moment at the couple. "I have to go." Raye slung her bag over her shoulder and walked off from the group.

Serena and Mina hardly noticed that Raye left. They kept their eyes on Kyoji and Achika in excitement until they walked up to another boy and Achika took a hold of the other boy's hand.

"What!" Serena and Mina exclaimed.

Kyoji left Achika and the other boy alone. He saw Serena and Mina and walked up to them. Before he could even say hello, Mina and Serena were bombarding him with questions.

"Why is Achika holding Genki Miyazaki's hand?"

"Didn't your date go well?"

"What happened at the dance?"

Kyoji waved his hands to get them to stop talking. "Let me explain!"

"Explain then!" Mina tapped her foot on the ground.

"Achika and I were at the dance, and she admitted she really liked Genki. I told her to talk to him. Turns out that he really liked her too, and they started dating the next day."

"But why are you still talking to her?"

"Because she's my friend." Kyoji smirked, something he rarely did. "I guess you're just upset that I'm a better matchmaker than you, Mina."

She looked nervous. "Who says I was trying to set you up with Achika? I just said she didn't have a date for the dance…"

He kept smirking. "You said the same thing to her."

Mina nervously laughed. "Well, you know, I was just trying to make sure nobody got left out…"

Kyoji shook his head. "Forget about it. Things worked out for the better." He glanced back at the couple. "They look really happy together." He looked up at Serena and smiled. He then glanced up at the clock. "I need to get to class early. I will see you both later." He walked off.

Serena and Mina chatted among themselves about how to get Kyoji interested in someone else besides Serena. They stopped talking once they saw Lita walking up to her locker hauling a large bag and a sleeping bag. She dropped the heavy bag in front of her locker, huffing and puffing, and did her combination on the lock.

"What is all this?" Serena asked.

Lita glanced up, serious look in her face. "After lunch, I'm going to Hokkaido for the weekend."

"Why?" Mina asked, extremely confused.

Raye walked back up to the group with Ami by her side. They both looked confused at the sight of the camping gear.

"Where are you going?" Raye asked.

"Hokkaido." Lita stuffed some of her possessions in her locker.

Ami pondered for a moment. "To find your Planet Crystal?"

Lita nodded.

"Why are you going alone? We should be going with you. If we go to my house, I can get some things…" Serena said.

"No!" Lita exclaimed. "I have to do this alone."

"Why?" Ami questioned. "It could be dangerous."

"I need some time to think and be alone."

Mina sighed. "You're not still upset about Taro, are you?"

Lita stood silent for a moment. "There have been a lot of things on my mind. I just need some time to work them out by myself, okay?"

Raye nodded. "Please promise to contact us if you get into any trouble, okay?"

Lita grabbed her bags and walked off in silence.

* * *

After many hours and many train rides, Lita was finally approaching her destination—Sapporo, Japan—the capital of Hokkaido. She sat alone on all of her journey. A group of boys walked past her, she looked up, but they didn't acknowledge her. She sighed and glanced back out the window. So many things were going wrong in her life at the moment—she didn't have enough power as Sailor Jupiter to protect her friends, she felt so alone since her parents were deceased, and she never felt good enough when it came to boys. She would try to venture out and find someone new, but they always just saw her as a friend, like Ken. Over and over again, she found herself going back to the same guy, Freddy, and he'd treat her horribly all over again. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the glass. Perhaps being out in nature would help her discover the answers and clear her mind.

* * *

The evil Queen stared into the murky waters watching the scene unfold. She watched as the young Sailor Jupiter rode a train across the landscape of Japan. Through her study, she was discovering that all the Sailor Scouts were collecting objects called Planet Crystals. She wasn't sure what they were or what value they had, but she couldn't take any chances.

"Alexandrite!"

The girl with blue hair and turquoise, silver, and purple highlights stepped forward. "Yes, your Majesty?"

"Follow Sailor Jupiter and collect the object called the Planet Crystal. Kill her when you are finished."

"Yes, your Majesty." Alexandrite bowed before evaporating.

Queen Beryl looked back into the water at the image of Lita. "You won't get away from me, Sailor Jupiter."

* * *

She was thankful that Ami let her borrow the supercomputer. She looked behind her, field of grass empty for miles. She then looked forward. The landscape started to roll up into forest covered hills. She looked back down at the supercomputer. "Fifteen miles," She sighed. She peered into the forest and noticed a slight path covered in leaves and snow. Adjusting the grip on her backpack, she stepped forward and disappeared into the trees.

It was a difficult journey. The path was a steep climb up the side of the mountain, and along with a heavy backpack, it made the climb more strenuous. The path winded left then right while gradually getting steeper. Many thoughts swirled in her mind. Even though she was all alone in a remote forest, the thoughts of her life in the city followed her and haunted her all the way through the forest.

It was as if the voices of the past echoed through the trees, rusting in the wind.

_"I'm sorry, your parents are gone."_

_"Lita, I'm sorry, I don't have the same feelings for you." _

_"I'm breaking up with you." _

_"Why in the world would I ever go with someone like you?" _

"_Because we don't allow dogs at the dance!"_

She stopped walking and looked around. "Who's out there?" She called out in fear. She looked around frantically. Only the sound of the rustling wind whispered through the forest. She shook her head. "I'm just being silly." She continued walking.

From behind the trees, a young girl peeked out to look at the traveler through the forest.

* * *

It was the second day, and the sun was high in the sky. She started to feel hungry for lunch so she stopped at a large rock. As she started to unpack, she felt a tingling rush up her spine. "Who are you? You've been following me since yesterday." She stood up.

"Princess Jupiter, I presume."

Lita turned around. "Not yet!" She whipped out her sailor pen. "JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER!" Soon, she was transformed into Sailor Jupiter. She got into a defensive stance. "Who are you, and what do you want from me?" She hollered.

"I mean no harm, my Lady."

Sailor Jupiter relented from her defensive stance. A young girl dressed in brown drab clothing stepped forward. Three more came out from behind the trees and bowed to Lita. They were all young—maybe in their early to mid-teens. They were all dress similarly in brown clothing. They looked almost tribal with face paint on their faces and headbands over their foreheads.

"Who are you?" Lita asked.

The girl that appeared to be the oldest stood up. "We are your servants, my Lady."

Lita listened carefully. The girl spoke Japanese but slightly awkwardly, as if it wasn't her first language. "Servants? I don't understand."

"I am Keiko." She pointed to the other girls starting with the oldest and moving to the youngest. "These are my sisters: Aya, Yumi, and Rina." She looked back to Lita. "We are your servants, Princess."

"Princess?" Lita looked extremely confused.

The youngest, Rina, stepped forward. She was maybe eleven or twelve years old. "We've waited for you, Princess, and now you have come to us."

Lita shook her head. "I don't understand. Why are you calling me Princess?"

Yumi, who was the second youngest, stepped forward with a bow strung around her arm. "Are you not the reborn Princess of Jupiter?"

"Well, yes I am, but I still don't understand. How do you know who I am?"

The last sister, Aya, who was the second old, came forward. She walked up to Lita and grasped her hand. "We are a people who remember the past. We know who you are, and we know who we once were. Long ago and far away in the past, we were your servants on Jupiter."

"How do you remember?" Lita shook her head in wonder. "I don't even remember."

"We also have your stone, my Lady," Keiko answered. "Our elders prophesied that you would return one day."

Rina came up to Lita and grabbed her hand. "Please, come with us. We will take you to our village. There will be a grand feast for you, Princess."

"Yes, come with us!"

"Come with us!" The sisters began to push Sailor Jupiter along.

"Alright! Alright!" Lita almost laughed at the enthusiasm of the young girls. "I will go with you to your village."

* * *

After a few miles walk, the girls led Sailor Jupiter into the tiny village. Situated in the middle of the forest, the tiny village, named Ando Village, was never reached by most outsiders. These people who seemed almost tribal lived in small wooden huts with thatched roofs. They would cook over the fire and wash their clothing in the rivers. As the four girls brought Sailor Jupiter into the village, the people started whispering in an unusual language, which Lita never heard before. They would bow and whisper in excitement, which at least made her feel that she was safe with these people.

The girls looked ahead and saw a middle-aged woman. They started hollering, and they left Lita's side to run up to the woman. The woman and the four girls dialogued back and forth in the strange language then walked up to Lita. The woman, with tears in her eyes, took a hold of Lita's hands. She bowed her head. "Princess Jupiter."

Lita bowed, but still confused. "Can you explain to me what is going on here?"

The woman looked confused and looked to one of the girls. The girls spoke in the strange language. The woman looked back to Lita. "Forgive me, Princess Jupiter. I don't speak Japanese well."

Lita nodded.

"I am happy you have come, Princess. I am Sayuri." She smiled. She looked back to the girls. "These are my daughters. They will take care of you." She then spoke to her four daughters. The girls then took a hold of Lita's hands and lead her off into the village. They directed her to the largest building of the village. Lita assumed it must be the village hall.

The girls let her inside. At the back of the room, five old men sat before a great fire. Most of the villagers had already gathered within the hall while the others were slowly filtered in the room. The girls brought Lita before the Elders and spoke to them in their language. The Elders dialogued back and forth with Keiko.

Keiko looked to Lita. "The Elders welcome you, Princess Jupiter." Keiko turned back to the Elders and continued to speak with them.

Lita looked to Rina, the youngest. "Why do you speak Japanese, but the rest of your village does not?"

Rina leaned in to whisper the answer. "Us younger ones have been educated outside the village in Japanese public schools. We walk seven miles to a small town in the north to go to school." She paused for a moment. "We are highly disliked by the outside world. They don't understand our ways."

Lita nodded then turned her attention back to the Elders. They offered her a place to sit in front of the Elders which she took. She watched patiently as the villagers, Keiko, and the Elders dialogued in their own language. They offered her a drink and baked bread to eat. She slowly chewed on the warm bread while everyone talked back and forth. Suddenly, the Elders stopped talking. The looked up towards the doorway. Keiko looked towards the back and smiled. The whole room was silent. Interested, Lita turned her head around to look. The sitting villagers parted to clear a pathway towards the Elders. The middle-aged woman, Sayuri, headed towards the Elders. Lita stood up to get out of the way. Sayuri walked up to Lita. "This is my son, Princess Jupiter."

The woman stepped out of the way—behind her stood a tall and strong young man. His hair was of wild, forest green locks, and his eyes were the deepest brown. His hair was kept out of his face with with a navy blue headband, and on each cheek was painted two purple stripes. He locked eyes with Lita, staring into her emerald green orbs. "I am glad you have come, Princess Jupiter." He smiled warmly.

"What is your name?" Lita asked.

"My name is Eiji, Princess."

The villagers started to chatter in their own language again. Sayuri, her four daughters, and the Elders started to chatter again too. Lita looked around at all the commotion that she didn't understand. She looked back to the boy with a confused look. He locked eyes with her again, and he smiled warmly. Without words, he gave her a sense of peace and comfort.

It soon appeared that the deliberations were over. The villagers scurried out of the hall. Sayuri came over chattering in her language at her four daughters. She grabbed her son, Eiji, by the arm and pulled him out of the building.

"What's going on?" Lita looked to the four girls.

"There's to be a celebration!" Rina exclaimed. "It's so exciting!"

"Celebration for what?" Lita asked.

Lita was pulled into the crowd by the villagers. They started to pull her along to leave the building.

"What's going on? Where are they taking me?" Lita hollered to the sisters.

"Don't worry! They're going to get you ready!"

"Wait a minute!" Lita called, but she was pulled so far into the crowd that she couldn't see the others anymore.

* * *

It felt strange to have everyone wait on her hand and foot. They had stripped her down and bathed her, dried her off and brushed her hair, and trimmed her nails. She tried talking to the women who were serving her, but none of them spoke Japanese. They would chatter on and occasionally giggle. Lita walked around the small hut only wearing a towel from her grooming. She walked over to the fireplace and stared deeply into the fire. This was the strangest experience of her entire life. Never in her entire life had she ever been somewhere this remote and isolated from the entire world. Despite the fact that the circumstances were strange enough, these people knew and understood things about herself that she didn't even know. She was torn away from her thoughts when one of the women placed a hand on her shoulder. Lita turned around and smiled. The women held up a white outfit. It almost looked kimono-like with the wrap style cut, but it wasn't nearly as elaborate as a kimono. Lita smiled however—she knew this was probably the nicest outfit in the entire village, and they gave it to her. Since these women were her servants, they insisted on dressing their Princess. After wrapping the under layers, they put on the white outfit. They added their most precious jewelry to adorn their Princess. Lita smiled for their generosity.

Once she was finished, the women led her out of the hut. The whole village was in celebration. There was a large fire in the middle of the village in front of a large table that the Elders sat at. There were other tables with fruits, vegetables, breads, and meats on it. There were other small fires with meat roasting above them. Loud musical precessions weaved through the crowds beating on their drums and playing their flutes. Lita was escorted through the village by the women who dressed her. Sayuri came up to Lita, and took her from the women.

"What is going on here?"

Sayuri looked confused. "I'm sorry. I do not understand." She kept pulling Lita forward. She was brought before the table of Elders, and made to sit down at a small fire. She looked around utterly confused, but stopped her gaze once she saw him.

The boy she met earlier, Eiji, stepped forward out of the crowd. He was dressed in a black robe with a black headband around his forehead. His mother walked over to him, and she guided him towards the small fire. He sat down on the other side of fire. He peered over the cackling fire into Lita's eyes, and she met his gaze. He soon was handed a wooden goblet. He stood up. By the look he gave Lita, she figured that she was supposed to stand up too. He drank from the goblet then passed it to Lita over the fire. She took it and from the impression she got from his face, she took a drink too. Sayuri walked up and took the goblet from Lita. Next, Eiji was handed a small wooden bowl filled with a bright red liquid. He dipped his finger into the liquid and reached forward. He drew two red lines of each of Lita's cheeks then drew a line down her nose. He handed the bowl to Lita. She took it and made the same marks on his face. Once she was finished, Sayuri took the bowl from Lita. Immediately, Lita was pulled into the crowd. She tried to find someone who spoke Japanese to explain, but none of them did. She was pulled over to a large table and made to sit down.

It was a feast—she was offered many foods to eat and choices of drinks. All the villagers celebrated and pampered her with everything a girl could ask for or want. The musicians played beautiful while some of the villagers danced around the fire. The villagers even performed songs and plays for the Princess. She didn't understand, but she clapped and smiled anyway. The celebration went on for a long time. Lita looked towards the horizons. The sun was starting to set. Suddenly, the women of the village grabbed a hold of Lita and pulled her away from the feast. They took her through the village and escorted her into a hut.

"What's going on? Is the party over?"

It was to no avail. None of them understood what Lita was asking. They brought her into the hut and made her sit down in a chair while they started a fire in the fireplace. After they finished, they bowed to Lita and exited the hut. Lita got up from the chair and looked around. After pacing for a few minutes, she sat down on the bed. "Perhaps they think it's my bed time. Too bad, I'm not tired," She said to herself. She sighed deeply. The music and sound of celebration quietly echoed through her hut as she sat alone in silence.

* * *

She wasn't sure how many hours passed. The sound of the celebration continued, but as time went on, the sound died down. She stared up at the ceiling of the thatched roof as she lay in the bed. She rolled onto her side and stared into the cackling fire. She sighed deeply as she thought of her friends, and her life back in Tokyo. Her thoughts trailed to the Winter Formal. She stopped herself when her memories came back to Izumi and Taro's comments. She rolled back over to look at the ceiling. She tried not to cry, but tears escaped her eyes. She lay in silence with faint hot tears running down her cheeks. Suddenly, she heard faint voices outside the hut. The bearskin flap opened up. She quickly sprung up and wiped up her tears. She looked to the entrance of the hut.

He stood in the entrance looking at her gingerly. "Princess Jupiter," He faintly uttered. Still in his black robe, he took one step forward.

Lita stood up off the bed. "You can call me, Lita." She walked up to him. He was tall—a few inches taller than her. She glanced up looking into his face.

"Lita," He uttered then faintly smiled. She glanced around the room and walked over to the chair. He wearily sat down in the chair and released a deep sigh. "How are you?"

Lita took a seat back on the bed. "I'm fine. How about you?"

He nodded. "Fine. I'm fine."

"I want to say thank you for the wonderful hospitality your village has given me."

Eiji nodded. "We are happy to have you, Princess…uh…Lita." He faintly smiled. "We have waited for you a long time."

Lita shook her head. "It's all so surreal." She glanced around the hut. "You all seem to know more about me than I know about myself." She sighed and looked around the room.

They ran out of things to talk about. She looked over at Eiji and faintly smiled. He faintly smiled back, and they sat in silence for a few minutes just looking at each other. He blew some air and nervously laughed. In response, she nervously laughed too. He twiddled his fingers together and stared at them for a few moments. He sighed again and looked up at Lita.

"Is there something wrong?" Lita asked.

He sighed again and pulled his eyes away from Lita's. "I'm sorry. I'm just really nervous."

"Nervous?" She looked confused. "Nervous about what?"

He looked at her, shocked. "You're not nervous at all?"

She looked even more confused. "Should I be nervous?" She pondered for a moment and came up with nothing. "Why are you nervous?"

He leaned forward in the chair and blew more air from his mouth. "About tonight."

"What's happening tonight?" She looked into his eyes. His eyes were kind and innocent, but was clearly afraid.

His glanced to his feet for a moment then he gulped. "It is our first night as husband and wife." He looked up.

"WHAT!" Lita exclaimed while jumping up on the bed. She stood on the bed and pressed back into the wall.

Eiji stood up from the chair. "What is wrong?"

Lita looked around frantically. "What are you talking about?" Lita put her hand on her forehead. "We're married? When did this happen?"

Eiji looked confused. "We were married today. You were there. I don't understand."

Lita thought for a moment. "You mean when we drank from that cup and painted each other's faces that made us married?"

Eiji nodded. "Yes, Princess Lita. It is our destiny."

Lita shook her head. "I didn't know we were getting married! I thought it was just some ritual or something! I don't even know you!"

A hurt expression appeared on Eiji's face. "You don't want to be with me, Princess Lita."

She felt guilty from his look. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just I…I don't know you. I've never seen you before, and now I'm married to you."

Eiji looked confused. "That is how things are done. My parents did not know each other until they were married."

Lita shook her head. "Not where I'm from! We don't have arranged marriages. I didn't agree to this."

He looked sad. "But it is our destiny to be together. The Elders prophesied it long ago that you would come to our village, and I was to be your husband."

"We don't even know each other!" Lita put her hands on her head. "Don't you feel awkward about this?"

Eiji sighed and sat back down in the chair. "Yes, I suppose." He was silent for a moment, and he played with his fingers again. "I knew that one day soon you would be coming, and I knew it was my destiny to be with you." He paused and sighed again. "I was afraid. Over and over I wondered if I would be a good husband, if I could take care of you, if I was ready to be married, but when I first saw you today…" He paused again and looked up into Lita's eyes. "…all the fear inside me disappeared."

Lita looked confused. "What?"

"You're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen…"

She put her hands on her hips. "That's my point. It's all about looks because you don't know me."

He shook his frantically. "No! It's not like that. No, I don't mean that you're not beautiful, it's just…it's just…when I looked into your eyes, I saw kindness and compassion and love and…and…" He blushed deeply. "You have a beautiful spirit. You truly are Princess Lita."

Calmed down, Lita sat down on the bed. "I don't understand how you know me. How to you have memories of the past, and I don't?"

Eiji dug into his robe and pulled out a green crystal. Lita's eyes widened. "My father found this crystal in the woods one day. When he brought it back to the village, my mother said that I instantly started kicking inside her stomach, and she went into labor prematurely that night. The Elders were able to see the past through the crystal, and they prophesied that you would return to collect your crystal."

"And why are we married?"

Eiji sighed. "In the past, my village was once the servants of your royal family. I was your bodyguard, and once we were in love. I was your protector and your lover." He handed her the crystal, and she took it into her hands. She gazed deeply into the crystal then looked up at the boy. He was a handsome and strong boy. His hair was a beautiful forest green, and his eyes were the deepest of brown. She sensed in her heart that what he said was true, but there still seemed to be a gap between the past and the present.

He sat up from the chair and kneeled before Lita. He placed his hands on her cheeks. "Princess Lita, I am sorry if I have offended you in anyway." Tears started to form in his eyes. "Since I have displeased you for a husband, I will see to it that our marriage is annulled…"

He stopped talking when she put her hands over his. "No, I'm sorry, Eiji." She paused. "It's just this is all so new for me, and I don't understand your customs."

"What are you saying, Princess?"

She closed her eyes for a moment. "Deep down inside I know you're right. I just…I…this is all so fast. I mean, married?" She always thought she'd be the last to get married of her friends, but now she was the first, and she wasn't even out of high school.

"What do you want me to do, Princess?"

She sighed. "I need more time to get to know you first."

He nodded. "I see what you mean, but my people will not understand this."

Lita slightly shook her head. "We don't have to tell them anything. We will act like normal."

He looked confused. "So what do we do?"

She kept her hands over his. "I will be your wife. I just need some more time before we start acting like it."

He nodded then smiled. Relieve washed over his face as he slightly laughed.

She faintly smiled when looking into his eyes. His brown eyes sparkled brightly as she stared into them. His eyes spoke warmth and innocence. Her eyes danced in wonder as she studied his face. He was looking at her in the same way. All fears and worries melted away as she looked into his eyes. She surprised even herself as she leaned forward to meet with his advance. They shared their first kiss—it was gentle and sweet. After a few moments, they pulled away and looked at each other.

* * *

She opened her eyes and rolled over. The cackling fire was dying down into embers. She sighed and faintly smiled. On the floor a top of a bearskin rug, Eiji slept peacefully. He watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he inhaled and exhaled in his sleep. She couldn't believe the huge twist in her life. She was now a married woman. She snuggled deeper into her blanket. She racked her eyes over his peaceful face. He was such a gentleman. Even though they were married, he never pressured her to do something that made her uncomfortable. They had kissed earlier that night, and that was all. She touched her lips and smiled. She closed her eyes and peacefully drifted back to sleep.

**To be continued…**


	18. The Merging

**Chapter Eighteen **

**The Merging **

**Previously…**

She opened her eyes and rolled over. The cackling fire was dying down into embers. She sighed and faintly smiled. On the floor a top of a bearskin rug, Eiji slept peacefully. He watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he inhaled and exhaled in his sleep. She couldn't believe the huge twist in her life. She was now a married woman. She snuggled deeper into her blanket. She racked her eyes over his peaceful face. He was such a gentleman. Even though they were married, he never pressured her to do something that made her uncomfortable. They had kissed earlier that night, and that was all. She touched her lips and smiled. She closed her eyes and peacefully drifted back to sleep.

**Continuing…**

She awoke to the sound of rustling inside the hut. She squinted her eyes and sat up. It was dark in the hut, and only the faint light of the dying fire illuminated the darkness. "What's going on," She mumbled.

Eiji was already awake and walking around the hut. "It's morning, Princess Lita."

She was physically tired and emotionally exhausted. She slept hard that night, but it felt like she needed to sleep more. "Why are we up so early?"

He stopped and looked at her, completely confused. "What do you mean? We slept in." He continued walking around the hut. "The wedding couple gets to sleep in for two whole days and doesn't have to do chores either," He sounded rather excited.

She got up out of bed. "What do we do now?"

He looked over at her. "We'll go to breakfast." He walked over to the entrance and lifted the bearskin flap. "Let's go."

She yawned and followed him out of the hut. From the position of the sun in the sky, she guessed it was about eight in the morning. She closed her eyes and yawned again, but fluttered them open at the sound of clapping. She looked around. The entire village stood outside the tent and cheered loudly for their Princess.

She looked around, utterly confused.

Sayuri walked up through the crowd. She placed her hand on Eiji's cheek and grasped a hold of Lita's hand with her other hand. "Is everything all right, Princess?"

"Well…I…uh…I didn't know this was going to happen…I'm a little…" Lita stuttered.

A saddened look appeared on Sayuri's face. "Is everything not good, Princess? Are you displeased with my son?"

"No! No!" Lita looked frantic. "Everything is fine." She nodded furiously. "Your son is fine. He pleases me."

Sayuri's frown turned into a smile. She bowed her head and placed both her hands on Lita's cheeks. "I am happy to have you as a daughter, Princess. I shall be a mother to you and love you as my own." Immediately, Sayuri pulled Lita through the crowd and Eiji followed. Soon Eiji's four sisters joined them jabbering on to Eiji in their own language and giggling. They clung tightly to their big brother and pulled on his arms for attention. Sayuri led Lita into her own hut. The fire was roaring in the fireplace, the smell of fresh bread filled the air, and the table was already set. Lita was sat down at the table first, and Eiji was guided by his mother to sit next to her. The four girls crowded onto the table, fighting for positions next to the newlyweds, while their mother served the breakfast. She first served Lita and Eiji then her four girls. Lita got the cue that she was to wait for Sayuri to sit before she could eat. Finally, the mother sat down, and they all started to eat.

"Is everything good, Princess?" Sayuri asked.

Lita nodded. "Yes, it is wonderful." She paused for a moment. "You may all call me, Lita. You don't have to call me Princess."

"But you are the Princess," Aya spoke up.

Lita faintly nodded then looked around. "Yes, I may be the Princess, but now we are family."

They all stopped eating and they stared at Lita. She became nervous at their reaction until Sayuri reached over and grasped her hand. Lita looked up at the women and faintly smiled when the woman appeared to have tears of joy in her eyes.

"You are wonderful, Lita. No doubt you are the Princess." A tear escaped her eye. "I am happy to have you in our family."

"Do you like your hut, Lita?" Yumi asked, trying out her new title for the Princess. "I helped Eiji build it."

Lita turned to Eiji.

Eiji cleared his throat. "When a man gets married, he is supposed to build a hut for his future family."

"Family?" Lita looked around.

"Speaking of which…" Rina started to giggle. "How many children are you going to have?"

"Children?" Lita uttered. She almost forgot about that aspect of marriage.

"Rina!" Keiko hissed. "Stop being so nosy—they'll figure things out in their own time."

Lita looked down at her breakfast—suddenly she didn't feel so hungry anymore.

* * *

After breakfast, Eiji showed her around the village and introduced her to many people. Hardly any of them spoke Japanese except for a couple of young people, but they all were very friendly towards her. Eiji gave her a tour of all the buildings and told her who lived where, and what they did for a living. After the tour in the morning, they had lunch again at his mother's house. And after lunch, he took her out into the woods. The pathways were twisting and strenuous, but Eiji walked as if he was on an afternoon stroll. Lita, however, was huffing and puffing all the way. Before she came here, she never thought she was out of shape, but now, she seriously considered otherwise. However, Eiji was patient with her, and always stopped when she needed to rest. Soon they started to descend down hill through the woods, and they came to the edge of the forest.

Lita walked up to the tree line and peered out. She gasped. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. For miles a low valley of tall grass stretched out until it reached the base of a mountain. As the valley dipped in the middle, a small creek tore through the landscape. She looked over at Eiji, who was smirking since he seemingly impressed her.

"It's one of my favorite places to come."

Lita nodded. She could understand why. Eiji stepped out into the grass and started walking. She followed behind him. They tromped through the grass for a long time until they reached the small creek. Eiji jumped onto a rock in the middle of the creek and stooped down. He cupped his hand and drank from the creek. Lita was always taught never to do things like that, but she shrugged and did it anyway. The water was cool and refreshing, and it didn't have any chemicals, like chlorine, in it like the city water she was used to drinking. She stood up and hopped to the other side. She did the same; however, the last leap was long, and she would have fallen in if it wasn't for Eiji's assistance.

They spent all afternoon in the grassland. The grass was so tall that it practically engulfed her. She could only see the top part of Eiji's head when she looked over at him. Part of that made her feel safer since she could hide her facial expressions and emotions. Yes, she was supposed to get to know him, but part of her didn't want to let herself be known. They sat in the grass while discussing small talk to get to know each other.

"So what do you do for fun?" Lita asked.

"Go for walks, talk with people, explore stuff." He shrugged. "How about you?"

"I like to cook, read, and garden." Lita sighed. Thoughts of her old life came into her mind. "There are many things to do in the city."

"Which city to you live in?"

"Tokyo."

"Tokyo!" Eiji exclaimed. "You live in the biggest city in Japan."

"Yes?" She sounded confused at his reaction.

He seemed excited. "I've never been to a city before. I've only been to the town where I went to school. There were only a thousand people there. And Tokyo…" He took a deep breath. "It has millions of people. I can't imagine it."

Lita thought for a moment. She had left Tokyo four days ago. Her friends were probably worrying about her. She knew she would need to get back soon, but part of her didn't want to leave. She was treated so nicely in the village, and being away from the hustle and bustle of the city helped calm her emotions. She sighed. "I will have to return to Tokyo soon."

"Why? I thought you came to get your crystal."

She nodded. "I did, and now I have it. I must return to the city to be with my friends."

"But Lita…" He uttered. "Didn't you come to live with us?"

Lita looked down at her feet. "Eiji, I didn't know by coming here and looking for the crystal this would happen to me. You see, the other Princesses are my friends, and we all are supposed to protect the Earth from evil. I needed to find the crystal so I would have the power to fight the evil that is trying to destroy Earth. I need to go back to Tokyo to help my friends."

Eiji nodded as he thought deeply. "I understand."

"You do?"

He kept nodding. "Yes, I must come with you to Tokyo then."

Lita closed her eyes. He didn't seem to understand. How would it look if she went back to Tokyo and had to explain to everyone that she was married over the weekend to a tribal boy through a primitive ritual? "Eiji…" She breathed in exasperation.

"What?"

She shook her head. "Never mind."

Eiji was silent for a moment, but then he looked up at the sky. A high flying airliner cut through the sky. He pointed to it. "Look a plane. I've never been on one, have you?" After a few moments of silence, he looked over at her. She wouldn't look up, and she only stared at her feet. "What's wrong, Lita?"

"I hate airplanes."

"Why?"

She sighed. "My parents died in a plane crash a few years ago." She shook her head. "I'm terrified of them."

Eiji sighed too. "I'm sorry." He was silent for a moment. "I understand how you feel."

"How can you understand what I feel?" She asked almost bitterly, with tears in her eyes.

"My father died of pneumonia about six years ago." His heart started to feel sad. "I was only thirteen. It was then I needed my father the most, and he wasn't there."

Lita looked back over at Eiji, peering through the grass. His head was turned, attempting to hide his face from Lita. She was sorry for her streak of anger. She fell silent. They sat there in silence for a long time.

* * *

They had sat in the grass long into the afternoon in silence. She spent her time looking over the green crystal Eiji gave her. Supposedly, this was the Planet Crystal she was looking for, and it gave the villagers the ability to see the past. She closed her eyes and squeezed the crystal hoping to see a glimpse of the past. Nothing happened. She glanced over at Eiji. He had already lied down in the grass. She squeezed the crystal again. How could there be such a gap inside between the past and the present. Deep down inside, she knew that her past was once connected with this boy, but her present felt so disconnected. She leaned forward to get a better look at him. His eyes were closed as he peacefully napped. He sure was a handsome boy as her eyes racked over him. It was difficult to find guys who were taller than her, but he was. He was extremely strong and fit, but his face was gentle and friendly. And his eyes—she did love to look at them.

"Sailor Jupiter!"

"What in the world?" Lita whispered to herself. She stood up from the grass clutching onto the green crystal. She looked forward across the grassy field. "Who are you?" She called out.

The blue haired woman with colorful highlights stood firm with a pair of daggers in her hand. "Hand over the crystal!"

"Who the heck are you?" Lita threw her fits up.

The young woman spun her daggers around and smirked. "Alexandrite, General of the Wind. Now give me the crystal!"

Lita reached for her Sailor pen. "So you're one of Beryl's lackeys!" But before she could grab it, Alexandrite flew forward and charged into Lita. Lita flew back while her arms went up in the air. The crystal flew up into the air. Lita's eyes went up to the blue sky and locked on the falling crystal. "NO!" She watched as it fell into a hand, but sighed in relief when she saw that Eiji caught it.

"Who the heck are you?" Alexandrite hissed. Eiji smirked as he looked over at Alexandrite. "You're messing with the wrong person."

She almost laughed at Eiji's words then she charged at Eiji. He blocked her advance then threw a punch. Lita blinked. The two fighters clashed and bashed against each other like blurs. The moved so fast that Lita could barely keep up. After a few attacks and counterattacks, they pulled away from each other. Alexandrite glanced over at Lita and charged toward her.

Lita's first reaction was to shield herself, but after a few moments, she noticed everything was okay. She looked up. Eiji had blocked Alexandrite's attack. The blue haired woman grew angry. She leapt and started throwing energy attacks at the couple. Eiji blocked all of the energy attacks. "LITA, RUN! RUN BACK INTO THE FOREST!"

She couldn't move. He glanced back at her. "RUN!" As he glanced back, one of the energy attacks got through. He was hit in the chest, and he fell backward. "EIJI!" She caught him in her arms as he gasped for air. The crystal fell out of Eiji's hand, and she picked it up. She squeezed it and looked up at the smirking Alexandrite.

It felt like time stopped. From the hand that squeezed the crystal, power surged up her arm into her chest, down her legs, and back up to her head. The small crystal on her tiara lid up, and the same power that filled her body flooded into her mind. Her eyes closed. Electricity surged through every fiber and vein of her body. Time seemed to start again when she opened her eyes. Electricity swirled through the iris of her eyes.

Alexandrite charged again, but it seemed like a normal charge. Suddenly, Alexandrite's movements weren't as fast as they once were, and when she collided with the warrior, it wasn't such a powerful blow. She threw a punch at Alexandrite, and she actually managed to hit the warrior. The blue-haired woman flew back a few feet. Sailor Jupiter marveled and looked at her hands. This was why Tuxedo Samurai told them to get the Planet Crystals. Alexandrite charged again. Sailor Jupiter reached her hands out again. Large bolts of electricity leapt from her hands and circled around Alexandrite. The electricity shook through Alexandrite's body and sent her flying.

After being blown a few feet back, Alexandrite lay twitching on the ground and shaking violently.

Sailor Jupiter ran over to Eiji and shook him. "Eiji, are you alright?" She helped him sit up. He looked up at her looking dizzy. "Princess Jupiter?"

Sailor Jupiter stood up and turned back towards the forest. "We should get back to the village quickly."

"Sailor Jupiter!" Eiji hollered.

She turned around. Two daggers flew at her, but even her new powers couldn't react that fast. Suddenly, the boy leapt in front of her, and the two daggers hit his shoulders.

"EIJI!"

As the daggers hit him, they fell to the ground.

"WHAT?" Alexandrite exclaimed.

Sailor Jupiter looked up. The boy, Eiji, stood dressed in a black tuxedo. His tuxedo was all black with a black mask that covered his whole face with a black mask for his glasses just like the other tuxedo warriors had white masks. He pulled back his hand and flung it forward. "Perhaps I should return the metal?"

Five sharp metal pins flew forward towards Alexandrite. She managed to dodge two of them, but three of them went into her shoulder. Streaks of blood flowed down her arm and paralyzed her right arm. She looked down at her wound then disappeared.

Sailor Jupiter took a step back to look at Eiji. "What happened to you?"

He turned around. "I think I should ask what happened to you." He smirked. Electric currents flowed around Sailor Jupiter's body.

"Eiji?" She stepped forward.

He still was smirking. "Call me Tuxedo Ninja."

* * *

It was night again. She sat next to the fireplace staring at the green crystal. It had given her amazing powers. She glanced over at Eiji, who was gently rocking asleep in the chair. There was another Tuxedo warrior. Tuxedo Mask was the protector of Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Knight was the protector of Sailor Mercury, and Tuxedo Samurai seemingly was the protector of Sailor Mars. By that logic, Eiji, who was Tuxedo Ninja, must have been her protector. She squeezed the crystal. It was no use—she couldn't see the past like the villagers could. She lay down on the bearskin rug that stretched across the floor and closed her eyes. The warmth of the fire felt good against her skin as she fell asleep that night.

* * *

She found herself saying day after day in the village. She always told herself that she would leave the next day, but that day would come, and she'd make the same promise for the next day. It was a peaceful life. The villagers were so kind to her, and even treated her somewhat goddess like. Eiji would take her on walks to explore all of his favorite places around the area, and as each day passed, she grew stronger to trek though the strenuous paths. Soon, she was able to run the paths along with Eiji and chase after him when he made jokes about her. His sisters were also very kind to her. Keiko would take her on long walks to talk as great friends would while the youngest sister, Rina, would braid her hair and talk about boys with Lita. Yumi showed Lita how to properly use a bow and arrow while Aya would practice martial arts with her. Lita's times with Sayuri were usually in the kitchen. Together, they cooked the meals that the family ate. Even though, Sayuri didn't speak much Japanese, she still was great company to Lita, and she was picking up Japanese much faster.

It felt almost surreal—to have someone at her side when she cooked. It was like having a mother. Lita stopped chopping the vegetables once that thought struck her. She paused for a few moments then continued chopping, this time slamming the knife into the vegetables.

"Is there something wrong, Lita?" Sayuri asked.

"No." Lita kept stabbing the knife harder and harder until she finally dropped the knife. She looked over at Sayuri with tears in her eyes. Sayuri grabbed a hold of Lita's hands and let her out of the kitchen part of the hut. She sat Lita down in a wooden chair next to the fireplace.

"What is wrong?"

Lita tried to choke back her tears. She didn't want to disappoint Sayuri with all of her ill-feelings towards her marriage. "Nothing."

"Lita," Sayuri said sternly.

"It's nothing." Lita looked at Sayuri's eyes. "It just…I'm scared." More tears poured out of her eyes. "I didn't know by coming here that all these things would happen to me. I didn't know I was going to get married. I don't mean this in an offensive way, but I don't even know Eiji, and now I'm married to him…" She trailed off from her ramblings.

Sayuri listened closed and processed the Japanese she just heard. "I did not know my husband when I married him, but we learned to love each other. You have the crystal—you and Eiji are destined for each other."

Lita wept bitterly while putting out the crystal. "I don't understand! You all can see the past! I see nothing!" She exclaimed. "I hate this stupid crystal!"

"Hush, child." Sayuri put her hands over Lita's. "It will be alright. Just close your eyes."

Lita closed her tear-filled eyes. Sayuri's hands clasped the crystal over her own. Sayuri started to speak in her own language. At first, Lita couldn't understand, but after a few moments, the words started to make sense. It clicked. This language was once the language of the past—the language of Jupiter.

"_Spirit of Jupiter, show her the past, show her destiny, show her who she really is_," Sayuri uttered in the ancient language.

Pictures flashed through Lita's mind. A lifetime of memories, thoughts, impressions, feelings, and ideas filled her mind. The gap between the past and the present started merging insider her heart. All the experiences she had as Princess Jupiter of the past were now just as fresh and new as the present. Memories of her parents, her planet, her people, her friends at the Silver Millennium court, and memories of her past love came to her mind.

_The Princess walked down the long Venetian style hallway. The warm sun seeped through the large windows and illuminated the marble hallway. She passed by column after column, but out from behind one of them, a young stepped out and followed the Princess. She had walked a considerable distance before she noticed she was being followed. She stopped, smiling to herself. "You can come out now." _

_"Your senses are getting keener, Princess, but I still could have killed you before you even noticed." _

_She spun around, smirking. Her eyes laid upon a young man dressed in forest gold robes with gold lining. He was Jupiter's Greatest Champion, and one of the Royal Army's most prized warriors. "You've already killed me." _

_"I don't understand." He walked up to her. _

_The Princess wrapped her arms around the neck of her bodyguard. "I can't live without you." She snuggled her head into his chest. "I love you." _

From her childhood on Jupiter to her death on the Moon, Lita remembered everything from her past life. She fluttered her tear-filled eyes open to see the smiling Sayuri.

"Do you understand now?"

Lita nodded. "Yes, I understand."

"Do you feel better?"

Lita sat in silence for a moment. "I know this is all true, but what should I do now? I don't feel ready to accept this responsibility."

Sayuri grasped Lita's hand. "You are ready, my daughter."

* * *

After dinner, they all sat around the fireplace. The girls were always chatterboxes, but Sayuri, Eiji, and Lita sat quietly in the room. Eiji rocked back and forth in his chair gently while lazily looking over the room. Sayuri concentrated on knitting a blanket, but Lita merely stared into the cackling fire. So many thoughts swirled through her mind at that moment. She slipped her hand into her pocket and grasped onto the crystal. She knew the truth now—but most importantly, she felt the truth. She glanced over at Eiji for a few moments then looked back into the fire. She knew and felt the truth, but what was she supposed to do with it? Staring deeply into the fire, she pondered this question over and over again as the time passed.

Eventually, she stood up from her chair and started to walk out of the room. Eiji opened his eyes and sat up in his chair. "Lita, where are you going?"

"I need some time to think." She exited the room.

Eiji stood up, ready to chase her, but a look from his mother stopped him. He sat back down in frustration.

"Let her have time to think." Sayuri kept her eyes on her work.

Eiji sighed and leaned back into the chair. He was usually a talkative boy, but he was silent most of the night as his thoughts consumed him. His sisters drifted off to bed one by one while his mother put her project away. Sensing the hour was late, he kissed his mother goodbye and left the hut. As he exited, he looked up into the clear night sky. The stars were bright and beautiful on that cold night. He wrapped his arms over his chest to keep warm as he walked through the dark street towards his hut. He sighed deeply, released penned up emotions within his heart into the cold air. It turned to mist and drifted away. He reached his hut—heart full of sorrow—and paused before entering. He knew deep down inside that the Princess was not pleased with him. He sighed again, sensing the hour was late, and entered into the hut.

"Eiji!" Lita gasped in surprise, slighting jumping from the startle. Her thoughts had clearly been elsewhere.

He bowed his head. "I'm sorry to have startled you, Princess. I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Goodnight?" She stood up from the bed. "What do you mean?"

"I assume you will be heading back to Tokyo tomorrow, and I wanted to bid you goodnight and good trip before you leave in the morning…" He tried to say as emotionless as possible despite the fact that it clearly bothered him.

"Aren't you saying here tonight?"

He shook his head. "No, Princess…" He turned his head away. "I'm hunter, and I should be out hunting early tomorrow…" He tried to make his excuses sound believable, but the emotion in his voice made it impossible.

"Eiji," Lita uttered. She walked up to him and stood there for a moment. He looked down, locking his sad eyes with her. She gingerly reached her hands up and rested them on his shoulders. He looked at her strangely for a moment, but she leaned in slowly and kissed him. After a few moments, they pulled away from one another and stared each other down. Blushing, she looked down to the floor. Confusion still marked his face as he watched the brunette starting to tremble.

"Lita?" He faintly uttered.

She glanced up at him, biting her lip, with innocent eyes. She watched her eyes closely—there was love and warm, but also fear. She tore her eyes away from him for a second and looked to the ground. Her arms came up to her neck, and she glanced back up at him. She slowly pulled her robe apart, grazing it across her bare shoulders, then letting it fall to the ground.

Surprise and fear washed over Eiji's face. His eyes went frantically across Lita's body. He had never seen a woman like this before, but he calmed down from his initial reaction—this was his wife. He slowly stepped forward and took the trembling woman into his arms. "I love you."

She buried her face into his chest. "I love you too."

* * *

The fire had died down into tiny embers. It was cold in the hut, but none of them wanted to get up to kindle the fire. She snuggled against him under the bearskin blanket, and stared into his lovely brown eyes. She had never felt something so wonderful as she felt earlier that night. He held onto her hand and kissed her fingers. With his other hand, he played with the messy locks of hair that fell over her face.

Wanting to go to sleep, she turned onto her other side and snuggled against her husband. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. He took a deep breath, taking in the scent of her hair, then closed his eyes. He fell asleep almost instantly.

She smiled as she closed her eyes. It was the worst point of her life when she came to the village, but now things were so different. Now she was laying under the covers with her husband—the man she loved throughout eternity. Her thoughts drifted back to her friends. She smirked. Yes, she would have to explain to everyone that she was married over the weekend to a tribal boy through a primitive ritual, but she didn't care anymore. The past had merged with the present, and she had merged with her husband that night.


	19. Master Tenzen

**Chapter Nineteen **

**Master Tenzen**

"YOU'RE WHAT?" Serena exclaimed.

"Married." Lita smiled.

"When?" Mina's mouth hung wide open.

"I told you already."

Shocked and appalled, the four girls stood with their mouths hanging open and staring at their friend. They heard the entire story twice over, but still could not process what had happened. Their fellow Sailor, friend, and schoolmate was now a married woman.

Lita beamed. "I'm Lita Kawamori now."

"You're officially married? You have a marriage license and all?" Ami questioned.

Lita shrugged her shoulders. "Well, no. We were married through the tribal ritual, but all we have to do is register our marriage through the government and it will be fine."

Raye looked up. "So you're really not married then since it isn't official."

"Well…" Lita glanced away.

"Well what?" The others asked concurrently.

She looked at her feet. "Eiji and I have…well…ahem…" She blushed.

"NO!" All the Sailors gasped concurrently.

Still blushing, the brunette nodded bashfully. The Sailors sat silently for a few moments looking around Raye's bedroom.

A large grin grew on Serena's face. "So, is it all it's cracked up to be?" A smile grew on Lita's face, and the girls started to giggle.

After Lita and the other Sailors talked, she brought Eiji back into the room for a proper introduction. They immediately took a liking to him—he was a very kind and gentle boy, and by observing the way he looked at Lita, they knew deep down it was meant to be. Darien and Hayate stopped by for lunch, and they were able to meet the third tuxedoed warrior, Tuxedo Ninja. Despite the fact he was a little awkward in the city, Eiji managed to fit in with Lita and her friends. After lunch, the Sailors dispersed to let Raye start her afternoon chores.

* * *

The young miko stepped of the inner parts of the temple with a broom in her hand. It was warmer day than usual, but still cold. It was slightly above freezing weather so the snow trickled small streams of water, and the icicles dripped as the warm sun melted them. She started to brush the remaining snow off the deck and stairs of the temple complex. She glanced up for a moment then looked back to her work for a brief moment only to look back up again. He was doing the same thing on the sidewalk. With his back turned to her, he slowly moved away from her clearing the snow off the sidewalk. It was cold, but his sleeves where rolled up and his skin slightly red from the heat of work. She had stopped working all together to stare at him. She shook her head and continued to sweep. "He's just after your temple," She told herself. "He doesn't care about Grandpa or you." She turned her back to him and worked in silence.

The young priest was a hard worker. He put all of his strength and energy into every task that he was asked to do. Back and forth he would scrape the broom against the sidewalk clearing it from the snow drifts. As his body worked hard, his mind drifted to other places and was wrapped deep in thought—so deep in thought he didn't noticed the towering shadow before him.

"Where have you been, boy?"

Kyoji dropped his broom as he startled backward. His heart stopped. In an instant, every childhood fear seized his mind and heart and filled him with terror. Trembling, he took a step backwards, and slowly racked his eyes upward.

He was a tall man—thick with muscle and large bone structure. His hand could grip the skull of a small child. His mere presence was terrifying—dominating size, superior strength, dark ridged eyebrows, and dark hair that appeared to be more like horns of a devil than hair. And his eyes—they were like the eyes of the devil himself.

"I asked you a question! Where have you been, boy?" His voiced boomed, echoing throughout the temple complex.

Kyoji backed up again, almost cowering, which the stranger only advanced on him. "M…M…Master Tenzen…" Kyoji managed to utter.

Raye immediately turned around. She stood baffled for a moment as she watched this stranger confront Kyoji.

"Answer me boy!" The Man known as Master Tenzen raised his hand and struck Kyoji across the face. It wasn't just a slap. Kyoji's head flew to the ground, and he landed head first with blood smearing his vision.

"GRANDPA!" Raye hollered. He was merely a few feet away inside. He came out quickly and surveyed the scene. "Tenzen!" He uttered bitterly then charged out unto the temple grounds. The short little man marched right up to the tall Master with Raye trailing right behind him.

"Get off my property, Tenzen!" Grandpa spoke harshly. "Don't think I won't have you arrested for trespassing!"

"Give me back my property, old man!" Master Tenzen pointed to Kyoji. "You stole him from me!"

"The boy is eighteen now! You have no jurisdiction over him anymore! He is free from your abuse!"

Master Tenzen furiously pointed towards Kyoji. "That boy is the property of Tsukiyama Shrine! I am the Head Priest of Tsukiyama Shrine! The boy is mine!"

"He is not leaving with you!" Grandpa hollered, face turning bright red.

"I've had enough of your games, old man! For the past fifteen years, you have been a thorn in my side…" He started to charge forward towards Grandpa, but Raye stepped in the way.

"Please, Sir, just leave my Grandpa alone! He's very old! It's bad for his heart!" Raye exclaimed in worry.

"If your Grandfather would stay out of my business and worry about himself…"

"It's bad for my heart to see what you've done, Tenzen!" Grandpa interrupted. "You are an evil man!"

Tenzen stood up straight and gave a smirk dripping with cruelty. "Someone has to be." He was silent for a moment with rage climaxing inside of him. "Give me the boy or else," His words were calm, but holding in an explosive rage.

Grandpa crosses his arms and looked up defiantly at Tenzen. "No, I will never give him to you."

Master Tenzen quickly grabbed Raye's grandfather by his clothing and lifted him off the ground to choke him. "Give him to me, old man!" His voiced boomed again.

"Leave him alone!" Raye hollered while jumping into the mix. She managed to make Tenzen drop her grandfather, but he quickly struck out at her. His large hand went across her cheek. She shrieked out in pain as she fell to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, Grandpa saw his granddaughter fall, and he tried to scurry over to her. Master Tenzen tried to reach for Raye's grandpa, but he never got there. He was stopped.

The man had never felt anything like it before. It was as if his face was hit with a brick. His cheekbone shattered and his eye swelled shut. He spun around at least twice before tumbling to the ground. His head bashed into the hard ground and scraped across the sidewalk, tearing up his face. After lying on the ground for seemed like an eternity, he opened his good eye and looked up. Towering before him, his former apprentice stood shaking and trembling with a tightly held fist. Sensing his defeat, he quickly scrambled to his feet and hobbled out of the temple complex.

Raye and her grandfather helped each other up. They watched as Master Tenzen staggered out of the temple grounds then turned their eyes on Kyoji. He was still shaking and trembling while staring at his fist. He was clenching his fingers so tightly that his knuckles were white. They stood shocked for a few moments while looking at the boy.

"What's going on here? I heard the yelling." Hayate walked up to them. "Kyoji?" He sounded confused.

There was no reply.

Raye stepped forward and reached out. She barely touched him, but it greatly startled him. "Kyoji, are you alright?" She asked. He jerked away from her hand and turned around. With blood smeared all over his face and priest uniform, he looked terrified. He faintly shook his head, fear and tears filling his eyes, and he took off running out of the temple.

"Kyoji!" Raye looked back at Grandpa. "I don't understand? What's going on? Who was that man?" She frantically looked back towards the fleeing Kyoji. "Grandpa? What's going on? What's wrong with Kyoji? What did that man want with him?"

Grandpa looked up at Hayate. Hayate nodded and started to run off. "Don't worry, I'll find him."

Raye kept asking questions and looking around frantically like a frightened child.

"Hush!" Grandpa exclaimed. Wearily he started to walk back towards the temple. "I will explain everything. Come with me."

Raye shut her mouth and followed behind her Grandfather. He insisted on preparing tea and getting comfortable before he started explaining things. Raye impatiently met all of his requests then finally was able to get some answers in the living room. She sat down in a chair next to the fireplace while he took the other chair. She waited for him to speak, but he merely stared into the fire for a few moments. She was growing even more impatient and was about to say something, but he started speaking.

"It began many years ago. All my life I had been making journeys to Tsukiyama Shrine in Kyoto to worship. When your mother was old enough, I started talking her with me. Even after she was married to your father, we would always arrange to go to Kyoto together."

"What does this have to do with that man?" Raye asked.

Grandpa became flustered. "Would you just listen, you impatient little brat?"

"Sorry," Raye uttered.

"Anyway, as I was saying, your mother and I would always go to Kyoto every year. But one year, we met a little boy. He couldn't have been barely three when I met him. He was a very kind little boy, but always sad." Grandpa paused.

"Why?" Raye asked to fill the silence.

"That little boy was abandoned at birth at the Tsukiyama Shrine. He had no parents and was a ward of the Shrine." Grandpa stopped for a moment. "His guardian was High Priest, Master Tenzen, the man who confronted us today."

"That little boy was Kyoji?"

Grandpa nodded. "Your mother and I could clearly see the boy was abused and mistreated, but we could do nothing to help him. We tried getting the government involved, but there was nothing we could do for him. We even tried adopting him. All we could do was visit him every year and bring him some happiness." Grandpa looked up at Raye. "Your mother was the only person who cared about him. She loved him like she loved you, and he really loved her too."

Raye nodded silently.

"He was a very kind boy, and he was always excited to see us every year. He was a shy boy, but he loved to talk to us." Grandpa looked back to Raye and locked eyes with her. "He always wanted to hear about you, Raye."

She was stunned for a moment.

"Every year he'd always want to hear about you and what you were doing. He wanted to know everything about you." Grandpa looked back to the fire. "When your mother died, she made me promise to take care of you and him. Every year, even after she died, I went back to see him. As the years went on, he'd show up with new wounds and bruises from that cruel Master of his. Raye, I…" He paused to think on his words. "I did the best thing I knew to do. I offered him the Cherry Hill Temple and your hand in marriage." He looked over at her. "I know you hate me for it, but I thought it was the best thing. I wanted to save that boy from that terrible man, and I wanted you to be taken care of when I die."

Frustration rising, she looked at her Grandpa. "And Kyoji was just okay about this arranged marriage thing? You sprung it on me like some surprise!"

"Raye, he wanted to!" Grandpa blurted out.

"What?" Raye asked, stunned.

"He would ask about you, and I would tell him. I told him how beautiful, passionate, smart, creative, kind, and graceful you were, and you've been none of those things while he's been here!" Grandpa shook his head. "I'm sure he doesn't feel that way anymore the way you've been acting these past few months."

Everything he said was true, and she knew it. She burst into silent and heavy tears. She was purposely cruel and horrible to him. It was worse was that her grandfather actually said wonderful things about her, and she didn't live up to it. But what was even worse was that Kyoji had known pain his whole life, and she was horrible to him.

Her Grandfather stood up from his chair in silence. She stood up and tried to wipe her tears, but new ones would form. She choked down her sorrow. "I'm going to go look for him."

Grandpa nodded, and she left the room.

* * *

She hated to cry, but she couldn't help it. She walked the streets of Tokyo with her arms folded over her chest as tears stung her eyes. She hated herself. She was so cruel to someone who didn't deserve it at all just like the people in her life had been cruel to her. She had been looking for him for almost two hours. She called all of her friends and her house from a payphone, but he was nowhere to be found. She continued walking once she ran out of change. While walking down the sidewalk, she glanced into the park she was walking past. From a distance, she saw the blonde-haired boy sitting on a park bench by himself. Immediately, she ran into the park towards him.

"Kyoji! Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you! You scared us half to death!" Raye hissed in a motherly shrill.

The boy glanced up from the ground. While he was gone, he had washed his face off, but the blood had stained the white top of his priest uniform. "Are you alright?" He asked, focusing on Raye's cheek.

Raye touched the cheek that Master Tenzen had slapped. It had stung for a while, but it fine. She was slightly surprised—he was the one who took a hit, but here he was, asking her if she was okay. "I'm fine," She faintly uttered. They were silent for a few moments.

Suddenly, her metaphysical senses started screaming at her. She leapt up into the air just before the ball of energy would have hit her, but the explosion sent her flying along with Kyoji on the park bench. The two of them landed on the ground with the bench flying over their heads. Quickly, they scrambled to their feet. Kyoji stepped in front of Raye to protect. Raye bit her lip. She didn't know what to do. Before them stood the General of the Wind, Alexandrite, and Kyoji, a mere civilian, was trying to protect her.

The blue-haired General stood sternly before them with a dagger in her hand. Her other arm appeared to be limp and wounded. Her arm had been paralyzed by the attack of Tuxedo Ninja. The General, failing on her mission to receive the Jupiter Planet Crystal, on her own decided to attack Sailor Mars to make up for her failures. "Get out of the way, boy!" The General hollered.

"Kyoji, please, just go! Save yourself!" Raye said, not knowing quite what else to say in that moment.

"I can't," He glanced back at Raye then sternly looked forward. He charged forward, but the General threw another energy ball at him. He was hit in the chest, and he flew into a lamppost. He passed out.

"KYOJI!" Raye ran over to the limp body. He checked his pulse—he was still alive, but passed out. With fury and rage in her eyes, she turned back to the General while pulling out her Sailor pen.

"I will destroy you, Sailor Mars!"

"If I die…" She stood up. "…I will send us both up in flames!" She started to transform. "MARS CRYSTAL POWER!" Soon, the young miko became the warrior of fire, Sailor Mars.

The General laughed. "I will blow out your flames like a candle on a birthday cake." She opened her hand. A large vortex of swirling wind appeared from her hand.

Sailor Mars covered her eyes from the strong winds and tried to hold her hair out of her eyes. The General laughed again. Sailor Mars couldn't move—the wind was too strong. The vortex came down over Sailor Mars and trapped her. Soon, Sailor Mars' feet lifted off the ground and she was caught in the current of the wind. She swirled around in circles along with the gusts of wind, not able to gasp a hold of anything. She was trapped in a cage of wind. Tossing and bobbling in the wind tunnel sapped the energy from her. She became sick and exhausted from the experience.

Sailor Mars closed her eyes, feeling like she was going to throw up. With her eyes closed, she heard the General laugh and a mental picture of the General appeared in her mind. Sailor Mars fluttered her eyes open. She knew the General was way more powerful than she could ever hope to be, but the General did have a limp arm. With all of her strength, Sailor Mars called upon her strongest attack—the Mars Flame Sniper. It would take extreme precision and accuracy to hit a target while she was moving, but it was her only change. She focused as best as she could and called upon the attack while she was swirling in the air. As the current brought in her view of the General, she released the fire arrow. "MARS FLAME SNIPER!"

Sailor Mars was jerked away by the wind, but the fire arrow shot perfectly out of the vortex and hit Alexandrite on her weak arm. The General screamed and grabbed her arm, releasing the vortex. Sailor Mars fell to the ground and landed hard into the pavement. She looked up. The General stood holding her wounded arm and gritting her teeth. She disappeared after a brief exchange of stares from Sailor Mars.

The fire warrior stood and looked around for a brief moment. Her eye caught the blonde-haired boy passed out on the ground. She ran over to him and started to shake him. "Kyoji! Kyoji!"

After a few shakes, the boy groggily opened his eyes. "Where am I? What's going on?" After a few moments, he came to his senses. He frantically looked around. "Where's Raye? Where is she? Is she hurt?"

Sailor Mars tried to restrain him. "She's fine! It's alright!"

"Where is she? Is she hurt?" He tried to stand up.

"She's fine!" Sailor Mars insisted. "You were already passed out when I got here. I told her to leave, and that I would take care of you." She lied, to protect her identity.

Kyoji settled down. "Who was that woman, and what did she want with Raye?"

Sailor Mars shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows? It was just some really crazy woman or something."

Kyoji glanced over at her. He looked confused with her strange appearance. "Who are you?"

"Sailor Mars, soldier for love and justice."

He pondered for a moment. "I have heard of you. You fight with Sailor Moon."

She nodded. "That is I."

Kyoji quickly stood up, but grabbed his head in pain. Sailor Mars stood up with him, and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Kyoji squinted his eyes. "I'm so dizzy. My head hurts badly."

Sailor Mars guided him to a park bench and made him sit down. Painfully, he sat down with a sore body and rested. She took a seat next to him and sat silent for a few moments. She realized something—she was having a normal conversation with him. As Sailor Mars, there wasn't that history and friction between them. She could talk freely and so could he.

Already knowing the answer, she turned toward him and asked a question. "It is very cold out here, and you are outside without a jacket. Also, there is blood on your shirt. What happened to you?"

Kyoji looked away from the fire warrior. "I did something horrible."

"What do you mean?" She asked, shocked.

"It's a long story."

Sailor Mars shrugged. "I've got the time."

He looked over at her and stared at her deeply. He didn't need to say anything, but she could tell that he appreciated the offer to listen. She faintly smiled.

He turned forward and gazed over the grounds of the park. "I hit someone, and I shouldn't have."

"Why shouldn't you have? What happened?"

"I got in a fight with someone, and I hit him. I shouldn't have done it, but I…" Kyoji shook his head. "He was hurting them, and I just hit him."

"Hurting who? Who was this person, and whom was he hurting?"

"Tenzen," He uttered, bitterly. "My old Master."

"Master Tenzen? What was he like?"

Kyoji paused for a few moments. "He's the cruelest man I have ever met."

"What did he do to you?"

Kyoji glanced over for a moment. "I marvel at the fact that I am still alive. That man almost killed me numerous times."

"How?"

Kyoji shook his head again. "He would beat me within an inch of my life…" His words started to shake. "I have been bedridden for weeks because I couldn't get up. I've had at least thirty bones broken…" He stopped. He surprised himself, and even Raye, with his openness to a complete stranger. These were things that Raye's Grandfather had only known, but he was freely pouring out his soul to the Sailor of fire.

"Who was he hurting?"

"My new Master and his granddaughter—he was trying to hurt them so I punched him."

"I don't understand why you're upset. It sounded like this guy deserved it."

Kyoji shook his head. "I hit him. I did what he does. I got angry so I hit him. That is exactly what Master Tenzen does."

She put her hand on his shoulders. "It's not the same. This man obviously has a problem. You were trying to protect innocent people who were being hurt. Your anger was righteous. His anger is not. It's okay to be angry went something wrong is happening."

He pondered on her words for a few moments. As he sat there, waves of relief and peace washed over him, and he looked less sad.

She smiled as she watched his stress melt away. "Kyoji, you did the right thing."

He looked astonished. "You know my name?"

"Uh…" Sailor Mars' eyes bulged. "…well…I…uh…it's just part of my powers as Sailor Mars."

He seemed satisfied with the answer as he looked back out onto the park.

"How to you feel?" She changed the subject.

"My head still hurts."

She glanced around. "Perhaps I should walk you home."

"No, it's too far on foot. It would probably be about an hour, and I don't have any money for the train."

"I don't mind. Besides, I should make sure you get home safely. I wouldn't be doing my Sailor duty if I didn't."

"If you insist."

* * *

She hadn't had that much fun in a long time. Freely talking, laughing, and sharing in conversation with him was the most enjoyable thing she had experienced for a while. He was a completely different person with Sailor Mars than he was with just Raye. She knew that it was her fault, but for that brief time she was Sailor Mars with him, it was amazing. He laughed. He smiled. He even joked. He told her stories and shared his thoughts and opinions with her. There was so much inside him she had never seen as Raye Hino.

It should have only taken an hour to reach Cherry Hill Temple, but it was taking them almost three hours. They walked so slowly as the talked, and they stopped at random points to admire the scenery. He always wanted to stop to look over bridges or explore tiny patches of nature within the city.

Night had already fallen as they approached the Cherry Hill Temple. It was a bright and clear night with the full moon high in the sky. They walked up the tall stairway into the Temple and passed under the red torii gateway into the Temple grounds. She wasn't ready to leave her life as Sailor Mars, and she found it a relief that he led her into a grove of trees by the entrance of the Temple.

"What's this?" She asked.

He weaved through the bamboo. "This is one of my favorite places inside the Temple." He led her up to a small stone bench that sat near a small Japanese garden style waterfall. She did know that he liked to come back here. She looked at the waterfall, trying to seem interested, but she had seen it a thousand times. After a few moments, she sat down on the stone bench. To her surprise, he sat down next to her. She looked up through the trees to the sky.

He looked up too. "It's beautiful."

She faintly smiled. "Yes, it is." Her eyes locked on the Moon. She always found herself looking up at the Moon. It was difficult to believe that a long time ago there was a life she once lived up there.

"Thank you for taking care of me."

She looked away from the Moon and looked over at him. He had done the same. She almost gasped. His eyes—they were different. Eyes that were always sad and downcast were now happy and filled with joy. They stared each other down as their faces were illuminated by the moonlight. She didn't know what was happening to her. There was only so much her heart could grow, and then it would start to overflow. She leaned forward, filled with passion and intensity, and kissed him. He met her with the same response. Her hands went up to his shoulders while his went to her waist. They scooted closer together and went into each others arms. She was forceful and passionate as Sailor Mars, but he was responding with the same intensity. He pushed her lips apart and entered her mouth. She lost herself. She had never been kissed like that in her entire life. It felt as if fire was coursing through every fiber of her being. She deepened her advances in response, but he quickly jerked his head away.

"What's wrong?" She asked, breathless and head swimming with emotion.

"I can't." He shook his head. "This is wrong."

"What do you mean?" Her stomach twisted. "There's someone else isn't there?" Her mind drifted to the blonde-haired Princess she swore to protect.

He nodded. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done this."

Sailor Mars looked to the ground. "It was my fault. I started it."

He stood up from the stone bench. "Thank you for taking care of me, Sailor Mars." He bowed then left the grove of trees.

She was holding them in, but since he left, they fell instantly. Hot and heavy tears leaked down her face. She wondered why she was so stupid. She didn't know why she did it. She put her head in her hands. "Why did I kiss Kyoji Tsukiyama?" She asked herself aloud and cried harder.


	20. Kitsune

**Chapter Twenty**

**Kitsune**

She grasped his gentle hand as they walked down the street. He always insisted on walking her to school everyday. It was unnecessary, of course, but always endearing to her. It was strange to be walked to high school by her husband, but extremely wonderful at the same time. He would even carry her books. They walked down the street at their own pace chatting quietly among themselves.

They finally reached the entrance of Matsumura High and walked up to the other Sailors gathered around the courtyard. On one of the picnic tables, the other girls sat talking among themselves. Ami was working on her homework while Raye sat with her fist pressed against her face. Mina sat on top the table and stretched out to catch the rays of warm sun. Serena was standing and eating her breakfast, of course. They all shifted their attention as Lita and Eiji approached.

He slung the book bag off his shoulder and handed it back to Lita. He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek before staying goodbye. The girls made an awe sound as Eiji walked away, and Lita stood blushing. She glanced back at her husband as he walked out of the schoolyard. He had found a job as a delivery boy and was saving up money to go to college in the fall. She was very proud of him.

"So has anyone seen the new Sailor V movie?" Serena asked, doughnut stuffed in her mouth.

"No, is it any good?" Lita asked. "Eiji has never been to the movie theater."

Ami looked up from her schoolwork. "Hayate hasn't either. We should take them together."

Lita nodded. "Double date! That sounds perfect!"

Serena starting waving. "Kyoji!"

As he was walking by, he heard the call of the blonde-haired girl and walked over to her. His head was down, and his eyes would rarely come up to meet anyone.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, taking another doughnut out of the box.

"No," He uttered quickly.

"Are you sure? You don't seem like yourself today." She studied him for a moment along with the other Sailors. He was always sad, but this time, he was sadder than usual. He glanced up for a moment at the five girls, but quickly returned his gaze to the ground.

"I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind. I have to go now." He walked away from them.

"What's wrong with him?" Lita questioned.

Mina shrugged. "Who knows with him? Nobody ever knows what's going on in that head of his."

Raye sighed deeply and stared at the grains of wood in the table.

"Anyway, when did you want to see the Sailor V movie, Ami?" Lita asked.

Ami looked up again. "Well, it is Friday. Why don't we go tonight?"

Lita nodded. "Yeah, that sounds…"

"Wow! Look at that!" Mina interrupted, sitting up from her relaxed sun-bathing position. The other girls turned their attention towards the street.

A short black limousine pulled up in front of the school. All the other students rushed towards the gate to see what was going on. Was some movie star lost? Was some famous person visiting the school today? Everyone looked with anticipation at the limousine. They tried to peer through the glass into the car, but the inside could not be seen into.

"Eight private schools in the last three years, and now look where you're at." A voice uttered bitterly through the silent interior of the limousine.

The young man slightly shifted against the grey leather seat. He looked out the window. "This school doesn't look so bad."

"It's a public school, Diego!" The voice hissed. "You are lumped in with everyone else into a big mass!"

"What's wrong with that?" The boy continued to look outside towards the school and the students lined up against the wall to look at the car. "You've caused a riot with this thing. I asked you to park a block away."

"Exactly my point! They're not used to seeing money. You are different than they are! You should be in a private institution learning how to be a gentleman…"

"How am I different than they are?" Diego interrupted.

"You are heir to a 3 billion dollar corporation! Of course you are different! You are better than they are!"

Diego shook his head and opened the door of the limousine. A large gasp filled the schoolyard.

"Try not to disappoint your mother and me."

Diego slammed the door shut. The limousine drove away leaving the boy at the steps of Matsumura High. All eyes were on him. He was wearing the school uniform except it was sloppily worn. His pants were baggy, his shoes were shiny and not regulation, his collar shirt stuck out from his sweater and carried his jacket. His skin was dark and tanned, eyes were pure brown, and hair was short and black. He was Diego de La Vega, son of Alejandro de La Vega the founder of a multi-billion dollar investment company. Not that any of the students recognized him, but they did recognize that he was a rebel, he was rich, and he was a ladies man. He swaggered into the schoolyard as students instantly crowded around him, especially females. They latched onto his arms and tried to introduce themselves all at the same time. They escorted him through the school grounds.

"Who is that?" Lita asked.

Ami studied the boy for a moment. "That's Diego de La Vega."

"How do you know?" Serena asked.

"I read it in Forbes magazine. His father is Alejandro de La Vega, an international investor. They were originally from Spain, but moved to Japan about three years ago."

"How come we've never heard of them?" Raye asked.

"Well, the article said they were in Osaka. Perhaps they just moved to Tokyo."

Mina crossed her arms. "What's someone with that much money coming to a school like this?"

Ami pondered. "He looks…"

"Rebellious," Mina uttered, not impressed. "He looks like such a player. I don't think I like him at all."

"You haven't even met him." Lita almost laughed.

"I don't need to meet him." She stuck her nose in the air. "He looks like an arrogant jerk anyway."

While he was passing, Diego caught something in the corner of his eye. He looked over at the blonde-haired girl. That was the girl he wanted, and he would have her by the end of the day.

* * *

Instead of doing her homework, she played a few videogames last night. Now she was paying the price, and she scrambled to write down the answers to her French homework. A shadow came over her, and she looked up. The boy stood with a smirk towering above her. She had to admit that when she looked up at him, he was extremely cute. She did always love the look of a Latin man, but she shook her head. She was not a piece of meat, and she would not be sold for a cheap price.

"What do you want?" She uttered then looked back down to her French homework. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Can't you see I'm mesmerized by your beauty?"

She looked up from her paper, stunned. What nerve this guy had to say such a thing. "Can't you see that I don't care?" She answered back. "Now, leave me alone."

"Feisty like a fox, you are." He uttered then smiled.

"I'm not flirting if you're missing the cue. I'm telling you to get away from me."

He put his hand on her desk and leaned toward her. "How about dinner tonight?"

Mina groaned. "I'm trying to do my homework! I don't understand it so just leave me alone!"

Diego glanced down at the paper. "Je veux aller à la bibliothèque avec ma soeur."

Mina looked up at him. "You speak French?" She quickly scribbled down the answer.

He smiled. "Naturally." He glanced around the room then locked his eyes back with Mina. "So how about dinner tonight?"

She pondered on saying yes, but two others girls from the class walked up to him and tried to steal his attention away. Her nose immediately wrinkled as the girls started to pull him away, but he tried to look back at her. "So how about it?"

She crossed her arms. "No!"

He smiled. "Then I shall try again, Kitsune!" He was pulled away from her, by the girls.

"What nerve!" She exclaimed to herself. She slightly huffed as she thought about the fact that he called her Kitsune. It was the word for fox in Japanese.

* * *

Raye noticed that he was sitting alone. He usually did that at the beginning of the school year, but as time passed, he started making friends and sitting with them. But today, he was alone again. He looked sadder than ever, but people had made the same comments about her too. They all assumed it was because of the breakup with Daita when in fact, that relieved her greatly. She sat alone at her table with her fist pressed into her cheek. She couldn't help herself from staring at him. She scolded herself over and over again for what she did as Raye and what she did as Sailor Mars. He would barely talk or look at her as Raye, but as Sailor Mars, he was a completely different person. She didn't understand it. She wanted to be Sailor Mars with him all the time, but she knew he would never want to be with Sailor Mars. He was truly and faithfully in love with Serena. But she didn't understand something—he kissed her just as passionately and forcefully as she was kissing him. Did he feel it too? Did he feel the fire and passion running through his heart and soul like she did? It made no sense. They had only been together a couple of hours, but something deep inside of her was released. Did he feel it too? She had to know. She closed her eyes, trying to separate the confusion. Yes, her destiny and past was with Tuxedo Samurai, but her present here and now ached for the shrine boy, and she didn't know why. She didn't want to feel this way, and she hated the fact she did. But one thing was for sure, something about this boy brought her to her knees.

Flustered, Mina walked up with her lunch and sat down next to Raye. She slightly huffed and sighed trying to get Raye's attention while she prepared her salad.

"What's wrong?" Raye sighed.

"What's wrong?" Mina hissed. "What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong! That Diego de La Vega is a jerk!"

"You met him?"

Mina picked up her fork and starting stabbing it into her salad. "Yeah, and he had the nerve to ask me out to dinner."

Raye looked confused. "What's the problem?"

Mina glanced up, confused that Raye would even ask such a thing. "I don't want to go out to dinner with him."

"Why not?"

Mina paused for a moment. "I just don't want to!"

Raye and Mina forgot about their conversation when Serena, Ami, and Lita walked up with their lunches. Ami looked around then pulled out her supercomputer. "Mina, we've got news."

"What?" She asked.

Ami opened the computer and brought up a map of Japan on the screen. "Your Planet Crystal has moved." Mina looked closer. A flashing orange light appeared on the screen. "It's here? In Tokyo?"

Ami nodded. "It's moved. I don't know what this means, but I suggest that we get to the bottom of it. We know for a fact now that these Crystals aren't useless since Lita has been able to unlock hers…"

"Yes, but none of us have been able to use ours," Raye said. "And without them, we're no where near able to defeat Beryl's Generals."

"We'll just have to figure it out." Ami said. "I propose that we all get together at Raye's tomorrow. We've got to figure this out."

"And we've got to find my Crystal too," Serena said. "Trista's crystal and mine are the only one's left."

"Right," The girls said concurrently.

"Kitsune!"

Mina shot straight up in her seat and turned around slowly, cringing. "You never give up, do you?"

He stood smiling. "How could I give up? It would be like giving up breathing." He handed her a red rose. "For you, Kitsune."

Not impressed at all, Mina took the flower and laid it on the table. "Are you done now?"

"Kitsune, the sun chases the moon throughout eternity and even if only sometimes they meet, it stops the world in wonder."

"What? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" Mina asked, confused. The other Sailors sighed from Diego's romantic prose.

He thought deeply for a moment. "It is said, 'Love's sweetest meanings are unspoken; the full heart knows no rhetoric of words.'"

She almost laughed. "What is wrong with you?"

"I am stricken ill from the sight of your beauty."

"And how many times have you used that line before?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

He stood silent for a moment, but smirked. "Only once, Kitsune."

She frowned. "Stop calling me, Kitsune."

"Why?" He smirked. "You're as elusive as a fox." He bowed and started to back away. "I will try again, Kitsune." He walked away. A swarm of girls surrounded him immediately.

"Mina!" Serena exclaimed. "Why don't you go out with him?"

"Look at him!" Mina exclaimed. "I'm sure he's feeding those other girls the same line!" She shook her head. "I'm not just another face in the crowd. I'm not just a girl who's going to fawn all over him."

* * *

There were more roses in her locker after school. She rolled her eyes at the sight. Just because he was rich and could afford fresh cut roses didn't make her swoon over him. She threw most of them away, except for one. It was white. She did always like white roses over the red ones. Nobody ever thought of white roses—they were unique. As she dug deeper into her locker, there was a card. Again, she rolled her eyes, but she decided to see what it said. She opened it up.

_Dearest Kitsune,_

_You are the white rose. Different and more beautiful than all the rest; you're the only one who stands out to me. _

_If you would grace me with your presence at 7:00PM at Canaletto's, I would be grateful._

_Diego de La Vega_

She couldn't help it. She smiled as she leaned her head against the lockers. Maybe he wasn't as bad as she thought. He did come on a little strong, but so did she when she really liked a man. But why, out of all the girls in the school, did he want her? She gathered her things and walked out of the school to leave for the day. She held onto the white rose and occasionally inhaled the sweet scent. It filled her nostrils and intoxicated her mind with lovely thoughts and feelings. "So this is what love smells like?" She giggled to herself as she strolled home that day.

* * *

She miserably played with her rice and chopsticks as she pressed her fist into her face. Nobody seemed to notice her at the dinner table as Grandpa flipped through the pages of the newspaper and Kyoji quietly stared down at the table as he ate. It was miserable to sit at home that night. Lita and Ami were on a double date, Serena was watching movies at Darien's apartment, Mina was going out to dinner, and she was by herself on a Friday night. It was miserable. She sighed as she played with her food some more. She glanced up at Kyoji and studied him for a few moments. It took awhile, but she eventually managed to work up enough courage to speak to him. "So Kyoji, have you memorized Act 4 yet?"

"Yes," He uttered not even glancing up at her.

She paused for a moment to think. "Do you want to run lines tonight sometime?"

"No."

She closed her mouth and looked away. He always answered her briefly and never looked at her. Not feeling hungry anymore, she excused herself from the table and walked down the hallway silently. She wanted to cry, but she stopped herself. She deserved what she got, and there was no use crying over it. He hated her, and she deserved every bit of it.

* * *

"Where are you going, sir?" An elderly man in a tuxedo walked into the bedroom of Diego de La Vega. Diego stood in front of the mirror checking his appearance.

Diego looked over to the butler. "On a date."

"Sir Diego, your parents were unaware of this activity."

Diego hunched his eyebrows. "They're unaware of every activity unless it's at the high society ball." He played with his hair for a moment. "How do I look?"

"Like a punk teenager." The butler answered.

Diego smiled and walked towards the doorway. "Thanks a lot."

* * *

She wore the little black dress. Perhaps she was overdoing it, she thought, but she wanted her looks to kill. One thing was for sure—she didn't want Diego thinking that he was in control. After all, she was Princess Venus—goddess of love herself. She smirked as she walked down the street. Diego de La Vega would be begging at her feet for her affections, and she would not so easily swoon into his arms.

He wore the suit that framed him perfectly. It clung in the right places, was loose in the right places, and fit like a glove. He smirked as he carried the one white rose in its plastic wrapper. The little fox danced throughout his mind and into his heart. She was elusive and untouchable, but he would have her. She could be sly and play all her little games, but she would never win. He would catch the little fox.

Finally, they met in front of the restaurant. Both full of confidence and extremely flirtatious, they circled each other, eyeing each other down. After a complete circle, he stopped and handed her the rose. She coyly took it and rubbed it against her nose. She closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath. Her blue eyes fluttered open teasing him with her long beautiful eyelashes while her lips curled into a smile.

"I am glad you've come, Kitsune."

She was still playful and trying not to look him directly in the eye. Her gaze racked over the ground. "I might be glad to be here, but…" Something in her senses screamed. Her head shot up straight, and her playful mood flipped to serious within moments. Diego's eyes were wide open. Mina turned around.

Behind her, the General of Fire, Azariah, stood with her palms open and small flames burning within them. She stepped forward with hands still on fire. She raised her right arm and pointed towards the couple. "Give me the Planet Crystal!"

Mina was about to speak, but Diego stepped forward, pushing her behind him. "You can't have it!"

"What?" Mina was shocked. She took a step back. "Who are you?"

He glanced back at her. "I will explain in due time, Kitsune, but you must transform now."

He was right about one thing. She pulled out her Sailor pen and started the process of transformation to Sailor Venus. Soon, the Sailor of Love stood before Diego and General Azariah. To protect Diego, she immediately went into an attack. "VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN AND CIRCLE!" However, the attack was easily dodged by the General.

"Stand back, Sailor Venus!" Diego pushed her aside and ran forward. Before her eyes, the boy transformed as he ran into a darkly dressed warrior. His suit was replaced with a pure black tuxedo with a cape black on both sides. His face was covered with a black cowl mask. It wrapped over his head and covered his eyes but stopped at the nose. And to cover his head, a black Andalusian-style hat with silver embroidery appeared.

The General didn't seem to be phased by the transformation. She leapt into the air and started throwing fireballs and the charging tuxedo warrior. The warrior dodged the attacks quickly. He grabbed the black whip that hung on his belt and cracked it. The end of the whip wrapped around the General's ankle. He jerked it, and she fell to the ground. Before she could scramble up, the warrior towered before her, holding a thin sword, the rapier, at her neck.

"What was your request?" The dark warrior smirked.

"Are you going to kill me?" Azariah asked, bitterly.

The dark warrior almost laughed. "No, that's what you would do. I don't commit such atrocities even to my enemy." He pulled the rapier away from the General's neck. "Now, go! Tell your Master to leave us alone!"

The General stared angrily at the warrior for a moment before disappearing. After she was gone, the warrior turned around to look at the stunned Sailor Venus.

"Who are you?"

"Diego de La Vega, my lady." He bowed. "I am who I say I am."

Sailor Venus shook her head frantically. "That's not what I mean? How did you know I was Sailor Venus? Why do you have those powers? What's going on?"

He slowly walked up to her while digging in the pockets of his shirt. He held out his hand to her and opened his palm. In his black gloved hand rested an orange crystal. Sailor Venus' eyes went wide open at the sight. It dazzled her eyes for a moment, but she tore them away to look up in the eyes of the dark warrior. His beautiful brown eyes could be seen through his dark mask, and they smiled back at her blue eyes.

"It's yours, Sailor Venus." He put the crystal in her hands and closed her hands over it. "I found this crystal three years ago when I moved to Japan. It gave me dreams, visions, and supernatural powers."

"Powers?" She questioned.

He nodded and motioned to his clothing. "I am Tuxedo Zorro, and I'm supposed to protect you, Sailor Venus." He looked up to the sky and pointed towards the first "star" of the night—Venus. Once upon a time, a long time ago, I was a nobleman and you were a Princess." He looked back to her. "Maybe you've felt like I've come on a little strong, but I knew you were the only one I was destined to be with."

She pondered the words deeply. She couldn't remember the past, but part of her did feel truth in his words. Tuxedo Mask was for Serena, Tuxedo Knight was for Ami, Tuxedo Ninja was for Lita, and Tuxedo Samurai seemingly always protected Raye, so she assumed that this Tuxedo Zorro was the last remaining warrior, and she was destined to be with him. She nodded at him and smiled. "Would you tell me more over dinner?"

He nodded. They transformed back into normal human beings. He held out his arm for her, and she took it. He guided her down the street.

"You look beautiful tonight, Kitsune," He said before opening the door of the restaurant.


	21. The Moon Prince

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**The Moon Prince**

An evil grin appeared on her face. She figured it out. As she watched and studied the reflections of the past, present, and future in the misty waters of the pool, she discovered the secret. She watched a scene unfold of one of her Generals battling with Tuxedo Samurai. She watched his use of powers, but mostly, the mysterious Moon Kingdom symbol on his forehead gave her the answers. She was almost positive that Tuxedo Samurai was the reborn Moon Prince. It made sense. Tuxedo Mask was once the Prince of the Earth, so naturally Tuxedo Samurai must be the Moon Prince. He did bear the symbol and the healing powers.

"Alexandrite!"

The blue-haired woman stepped forward. "Yes, your Majesty?"

"I want you to attack the Sailor Scouts."

"All of them?" She gulped, remembering the new found powers of Sailor Jupiter. "I won't be able to defeat them. You'll be sending me to my death!"

Queen Beryl turned around. "Then perhaps you'll actually be useful to me for once."

Alexandrite's mouth fell open in shock, but she didn't know what to say. He closed her mouth and eyes and nodded solemnly, knowing it would lead to her death.

* * *

"He's so cute!" Serena exclaimed while holding the little boy. She held him against her body, and the little baby snuggled his head against Serena's neck.

Trista and Kanejiro glanced at each and smiled proudly. They looked back up at Serena and their son.

"I want to hold him." Mina leapt up from her chair. She took the little boy from Serena and bounced him in her arms. Everyone wanted to hold the little boy that he was passed from girl to girl. Eventually, the boy landed in Lita's lap. She held him for a few moments, but quickly stood up. "Oh, the cookies!" She passed the baby off to Eiji, who took the child into his arms and cuddled it.

"That looks a little too natural, Eiji," Hayate commented, laughing.

"Yeah, when you guys going to have your own?" Darien crossed his arms over his chest.

Lita turned around and looked at the ground, blushing madly. "Stop…" She blushed deeper. "The last thing I need is to have children right now. I'm still in high school."

"But only for a few more months." Diego grinned before taking a drink of his soda.

Eiji bounced the baby in his arms then glanced over with a grin. "Lita and I will start having children once you get started having your own kids."

Concurrently, Darien, Hayate, and Diego started coughing at the same time which made their girlfriends' laugh. Mina almost spit out her drink while Ami actually laughed out loud. Serena smiled and rolled her eyes while she rested her head against Darien's shoulder.

Eiji stood up and passed the baby off to Hotaru. "I'll help you with the cookies, Lita." They left the room.

Hotaru carried the baby around the room. She walked up to Michelle and Amara. "You want to hold the baby, Amara?" Amara wrinkled her nose then Michelle slapped her friend on the knee.

"Oh, Amara!" Michelle shook her head and took the baby into her arms. "How could you wrinkle your nose at this little cutie pie?" She wiggled her nose against the little boy's nose.

Serena held onto Darien's arm tightly. While she looked around the room, she noticed one of her friends was very quite that night. She sat in the corner alone glancing out the window. "Raye, are you alright?"

She looked away from the window to Serena. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Mina asked.

Raye nodded. "I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

Eiji and Lita walked back into the room. "Cookies!" Lita exclaimed as she carried the tray into the middle of the room. Serena leapt out her seat and surrounded the table in the tearoom. The others followed behind Serena less eager to eat. While everyone was picking up a cookie, Raye stood up from her chair. "Someone's here."

Everyone fell silent and looked over at Raye. Raye walked out of the tea room and down the hallway. Everyone followed her out of the room. Kanejiro took the baby back from Michelle and held his son tightly against him.

"Trista, you go. I'll stay with the baby."

Trista nodded and followed the Sailors out of Raye's house. All the girls but Trista grabbed their Sailor pens and transformed. Darien, Hayate, Eiji, and Diego instantly transformed into their Tuxedoes and were ready for battle. They stepped out of Raye's house into the temple courtyard.

There was only one Negaverse warrior. The blue-haired General, Alexandrite, stood before them with a healed arm and two knives in her hands. It was a warm and sunny afternoon, but dark clouds started to roll in as the presence of darkness stood in the courtyard.

"What do you want?" Tuxedo Mask gripped his cane.

"Surrender the Moon Prince!" Alexandrite exclaimed. "And I might let you live!"

Tuxedo Zorro stepped forward. "There's thirteen of us, and only one of you! I think we should be demanding the terms, dear lady." He pulled out his rapier.

Alexandrite took a step back. "Give me the Moon Prince now!"

Sailor Moon came forward. "We don't have any Moon Prince. What do you want with us? Why are you attacking us?"

Alexandrite threw a knife. It flew forward and scratched Sailor Moon's arm. She grabbed her bleeding arm and collapsed to her knee. Tuxedo Mask kneeled down to aid her. Tuxedo Zorro, Knight, and Ninja stepped in front of Mask and Moon to protect them.

Alexandrite threw another knife. It flew toward Sailor Mars. The Sailor tried to dodge, but wasn't going to make it. However, the blade was caught between the fingers of a dark warrior. Everyone looked over—the mysterious Tuxedo Samurai stood before them with a knife in his hand.

"Queen Beryl demands the Moon Prince and the death of Sailor Mars! And I will give that to her!"

Sailor Mars came forward. "What do you want with me?"

"Your death!" Alexandrite lunged forward. Sailor Mars tried to dodge, but she wasn't fast enough. However, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus were able to stop the charge. The other Sailors started throwing their attacks in too. Despite the fact that the Sailors were considerably weaker than the General, the sheer numbers of the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Warriors completely overwhelmed the General. She would dodge one attack just to get hit with another. Easily, the General was defeated by the teamwork of the Sailors. Sailor Jupiter, who had already tapped into her crystal powers, sent out a shockwave towards the General. Alexandrite flew back with her body shaking in convulsions. She landed on her back. After a few moments, she tried to stand up, but couldn't. Her body kept shaking. She looked at the Sailor Scouts, terrified and shaking. A small trickle of blood flowed from her lip as tears started to sting her eyes.

The Sailors and Tuxedo warriors stared at the General for a few moments. Sailor Moon stepped forward. "Are you alright?"

Alexandrite shook her head. "Don't come near me! Please!"

Sailor Moon stared to walk forward.

"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask called out.

Sailor Moon looked back towards her friends. "It's alright." She continued to walk forward, but suddenly, between Sailor Moon and General Alexandrite a dark mass appeared. Purple lightning surrounded the mass. The dark clouds covered the skies and brought a shadow upon the land.

The General stood up. "My Queen has come to save me!" She walked forward to the dark mass. Out of the mass, came the vision of the past. Sailor Moon gasped. Out of the mass came Queen Beryl, the ruler of the Negaverse.

"I thought…I thought you were dead!" Sailor Moon backed away from Beryl into the arms of Tuxedo Mask.

Queen Beryl laughed, with evil and cruelty in her voice. "You will never destroy me, Sailor Moon. I am more powerful than you could ever imagine!"

Alexandrite came up to the Queen's side in a humbled posture. "I knew you'd come to save me, my Queen." She took the hand of the Queen. "Thank you, my Queen! Thank you!"

Beryl slowly turned her eyes toward the begging subject. She pulled her hand away from Alexandrite's grasp and placed it on Alexandrite's head. She ran cold fingers through Alexandrite's hair and smiled. Tears started to run down Alexandrite's face.

"I'm sorry, my Queen. I wasn't strong enough. Please forgive me."

"Hush," Beryl said, almost tenderly. "I'll put your pretty little head out of its misery."

"Huh?" Alexandrite looked confused.

An energy blast came out of the hand Beryl had on Alexandrite's head. The blue-haired woman flew off to the side like a rag doll from taking a direct blow to the head. Her body rolled a few times then stopped, completely lifeless.

"YOU MONSTER!" Tuxedo Zorro stepped forward, pulling out his rapier. "I challenge you to a duel!"

Beryl looked over at the irate Tuxedo Warrior and grinned. "As you wish."

Tuxedo Zorro ran forward with his rapier ready to strike. He raised his arm in the air and slashed the sword downwards. Beryl held out her hand and formed a protective dark bubble around herself. Tuxedo Zorro struck the bubble with his rapier, and he flew back from the deflection of the shield. Sailor Venus quickly came forward to his aide with the Venus Love Chain, but it also was deflected. Suddenly, the Queen started hurling black balls of energy at the Sailor warriors. They tired to dodge them, but some of them were hit. First Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, Tuxedo Knight, and Tuxedo Mask were hit. Tuxedo Ninja was hit next along with Sailor Venus. Sailor Moon, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Saturn were hit. Sailor Uranus was hit in the air while trying to start an attack, and she immediately crashed to the ground. Sailor Mars was hit in the middle of preparing her Flame Shooter while Tuxedo Zorro was hit again. However, the Queen almost missed the blade pointed towards her chest. Nearly in time, she turned to the side as the blade grazed her side and broke the protective bubble. The warrior with the katana leapt back as the defensive bubble burst into black goop all over the place. He held his katana at his side and stood up straight.

The Queen smirked as she set her eyes on the warrior who stood before her. "Very impressive, Tuxedo Samurai." Her eyes locked upon the crescent moon on his forehead.

The others recovered from the attacks and started to help each other up as Queen Beryl and Tuxedo Samurai stared each other down. They all watched on, knowing that if anyone stood a chance against Beryl, it would be Tuxedo Samurai.

The Queen glanced down to the ground with a large grin appearing on her face. Her right hand slowly slipped behind her back and a small dark energy ball formed in her palm. "You must tell me where you got your powers, Tuxedo Samurai. You really are quite a phenomenal warrior."

"I don't have time to chat! Just leave, Beryl!"

She almost laughed playfully. "You know, once upon a time ago, I knew of someone with powers like yours."

"What are you talking about?" Tuxedo Samurai asked, curiosity echoing in his voice.

"Don't listen to that crazy hag!" Sailor Jupiter hollered. "Blast her out of oblivion!"

Tuxedo Samurai stood sternly. "I don't care what you have to say, Beryl. Just leave us alone."

"But my story gets good, Tuxedo Samurai. You see, there was once a man with your sort of powers and abilities. He was the Moon's Greatest Champion in fact. He was the Prince of the Moon Kingdom."

"Yeah, well we don't have him, lady!" Sailor Venus hollered.

"But you do…" Queen Beryl uttered. She quickly pulled her hand out from behind her back. With her left hand, she took control of Tuxedo Samurai's body and lifted him high in the air. He tired to fight her powers over him, but he couldn't. She brought him closer to her until he floated just before her. She took her right hand, the hand with the dark energy, and pierced her claws into his chest.

Immediately, he screamed from the immense pain and torture. The Sailors and Tuxedo Warriors ran forward, but a new defense bubble was created, and they were all defected. His body shook as her arm reached into his soul.

"STOP IT! LEAVE HIM ALONE! LET HIM GO!" Sailor Moon screamed with tears in her eyes.

Beryl's grin grew larger as her arm kept digging through the soul of the warrior. His body shook violently as he screamed out in pain. His white mask shook off and fell to the ground. Everyone gasped.

"Kyoji?" Sailor Mars uttered, heavy tears pouring from her eyes.

The dark warrior, Tuxedo Samurai, was de-masked and revealed to be Kyoji Tsukiyama, the shrine boy of Cherry Hill Temple. Soon, Beryl pulled her hand out of Tuxedo Samurai's body. She flung him to the side like a doll. His body flew in between the Sailors and Beryl. Immediately, Sailor Mars ran over to him and stooped down in the dirt. She put her hand on his cheek. He was almost lifeless. He barely retained any consciousness, but he was able to look at her.

A faint light filled the dark shadows of the afternoon. Queen Beryl held the pure heart crystal of the boy. Grinning, she looked over at the Sailor scouts, he indeed was the Moon Prince. She studied the heart. "A dying crystal, indeed." The heart crystal was pure in light, but very dim. There were cracks in the crystal as well.

Everyone marveled at the crystal. They could feel it too. It was a very pure crystal, but the sadness and pain that radiated from the crystal was almost too much to bear. His crystal was dying because his heart was dying too.

If it were even possible, the Queen's grin grew larger. If she wanted him for her own, she would have to destroy him first. She held the crystal in her hand for a moment then squeezed it.

Kyoji screamed again. Raye picked him up into her arms and cradled his upper body. "Kyoji! KYOJI! KYOJI!" She looked over at Beryl. "STOP IT! DON'T CRUSH HIS HEART! YOU'LL KILL HIM!"

The Sailors tired to stop Beryl, but her defense shield was too strong. Beryl squeezed her hand again, and the sound of the crystal crushing and breaking brought more tears to the Sailors.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Sailor Moon pounded on the force field. "PLEASE LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

The Tuxedo Warriors slashed and stabbed the defense shield while the Sailors tried every attack they had. Nothing could break the shield. Laughing out loud, the Queen crushed the crystal in her hand and released the debris to the ground.

"KYOJI, HANG ON! PLEASE DON'T DIE! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! KYOJI, STAY WITH ME!" Sailor Mars screamed while shaking him frantically as he screamed from the pain.

He stopped screaming once the pieces hit the ground. His eyes started to grow dim. He glanced up into Sailor Mars' eyes for a brief moment. She grasped his hand tightly. Tears poured out of his dimming eyes. "I'm so sorry, Kyoji…I…" She choked on her tears.

With his last ounce of strength, his lips faintly curled into a smile. Even though they were growing dim, a spark of happiness shined in his eyes. "R…R…R…Raye, I've…I've…always…lo...loved…you." The light in his eyes left and his smile disappeared. Kyoji died.

"Kyoji?" Raye shook his body. "Kyoji?" She shook him more frantically. "KYOJI! KYOJI!" She kept shaking him, but his eyes were cold and lifeless. "KYOJI!" She stopped shaking him. Her bottom lip started to tremble. "I…I…I…" She threw herself over him and screamed as loud as she could. "KYOJI!" She looked back up to the dark skies and screamed again, sobbing and anguish pouring out from her soul.

Everyone stood helpless and miserable. Tears came to everyone's eyes as they watched Sailor Mars scream and cry over Kyoji's body. Only the sound of Raye's screaming, and the evil cackle of Queen Beryl filled the air. A few moments felt like an eternity as they stood watching this scene unfold until something happened.

A bright white light appeared in the middle of the courtyard. Beryl shielded her eyes from the light. Everyone did the same, but the light seemed to give pain to Beryl. The old Queen started screaming as the light grew brighter and brighter. Finally, after a few moments of not being able to withstand the light, she screamed and disappeared from sight. The white light grew brighter and seemed to engulf the entire yard. They all shielded their eyes and lost sight.

* * *

It felt like they lost consciousness forever, but when they opened their eyes. They stood in a completely different place. They looked around their surroundings. There were ruins everywhere, and the sky was dark and full of stars around them.

"Where are we?" Tuxedo Mask asked.

Sailor Moon kept looking around. "The Moon Kingdom."

"Where's Beryl?" Sailor Venus looked around.

Sailor Mercury walked a few feet down the stone pathway. She gazed in among the ruins. "This is all so strange."

"Like a dream." Tuxedo Mask looked around.

She sniffed and everyone turned his or her attention back to Sailor Mars. She was sitting on the ground holding the dead body in her arms. She held him close to her and ran her fingers through his arm as the warmth of his body started to leave.

"Is he…?" Sailor Moon bit her lip.

With tears, Sailor Mars nodded.

A bright light started to glow behind them. They all turned around while Sailor Mars looked up into the light. The light started to fade away and an image appeared before them. Soon, she came into view. It was Queen Serenity—ruler of the Silver Millennium. Everyone gasped at the sight of the Queen. She was mysterious and beautiful, almost angelic. Once she stopped glowing, she gracefully floated forward. There were tears in her eyes. Everyone watched silently as she floated over to Sailor Mars. She kneeled down before the body.

Sailor Mars looked up. "He's gone."

"We can resurrect him, but I will need your help."

"How?" Sailor Mars jerked her head up.

The Queen glanced over to the side. The fragments of Kyoji's heart crystal still laid on the ground. Queen Serenity stretched out her hand and the pieces floated towards her. She took them into her hands and held them out over Kyoji's body. "Sailor Mars, you must help me."

She didn't understand, but she held out her hands. She cupped the crystal pieces in her hands along with Queen Serenity, and closed her eyes. She didn't know what to say, do, or even feel at that moment. All she could think about how much she wanted him to live. She would gave given her own life to let him live again.

Everyone gasped. A small ball of white light appeared in the hands of Sailor Mars and Queen Serenity. Tears from both of the women floated from their eyes into the white light. It grew brighter and brighter until a large flash of light burst forth. The Sailors had shielded their eyes, but when they looked. There was a heart crystal in the hands of Sailor Mars and Queen Serenity.

Wide eyed, Sailor Mars looked up at Queen Serenity. "How?"

Queen Serenity smiled. "Only love can restore a heart crystal."

"Love?" Sailor Mars questioned.

They pulled their hands away and the heart crystal gently floated down into Kyoji's chest. After a few moments, the body started to breathe again and life started.

Sailor Mars watched completely stunned while everyone cheered at the breath of life. He was alive. She looked to the Queen. "Why isn't he awake?"

"He'll awake in due time." The Queen stood up. Serenity looked over all the warriors that stood before her. "There are many things you are not aware of concerning your past." She walked up to her daughter, Serena, and took her hand. "I will show you all. You must know who you are, and where you come from. You all must remember."

* * *

Each had been shown their own destiny and sent back into consciousness except Sailor Mars that is. She stood alone for many hours wandering among the ruins of the Moon Kingdom. The ancient pillars and broken stones gave her a sense of déjà vu, however, none of it was clear enough to make any sense. She wandered through the ruins trying to remember, but nothing came to mind. It all was just a blur. She stood in the middle of one room and looked around.

"This was your room."

Sailor Mars spun around. Serenity stood amidst the ruins with a gentle and calm look on her face. "There are many things I must tell you, Princess Raye."

Sailor Mars walked forward towards Serenity. Serenity reached out her hands, and Sailor Mars took them. "Come with me, child." Serenity led her out of the room. "There are many memories you have forgotten."

Sailor Mars, being as impatient as she was, opened her mouth first. "How is it that Kyoji Tsukiyama is Tuxedo Samurai?"

Serenity stopped walked and smirked. She found Raye's spunk and impatience somewhat amusing. "Kyoji is my son."

"Your son? I thought Serena was your only child."

Serenity sighed. "He was the son of my younger sister, Charity. But when she and her husband died, I adopted Kyoji as my own." She glanced up into the sky. "I loved my son very much." She looked over at Raye. "You loved my son very much too."

Sailor Mars jerked her head over. "I don't understand."

Queen Serenity looked down to the ruins for a moment. She proceeded to tell Sailor Mars the story of her past.

**To be continued…**


	22. Memories of the Moon Kingdom

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Memories of the Moon Kingdom**

It was an average night in the Moon Kingdom. The reflections of the bright lights danced across the waters in front of the palace. The palace was bursting with guests from all over the universe. Every night, there were grand parties with dancing and conversation. Indeed, it was an average night in the Moon Kingdom—The Prince of the Moon and the Princess of Mars were fighting again.

They rolled their eyes as they walked down the hallway. Their friend, Princess Raye, jabbered on and on.

"I just can't believe him!"

"It really wasn't that big of a deal, Raye." Princess Lita shook her head.

"He said I was fat!" Raye exclaimed.

Princess Serena shook her head gently. "You're not fat. He's just trying to get a reaction out of you, and besides…" She looked over at her friend. "He didn't call you fat."

"He sure had to make a comment about how I ate a second croissant at lunch!"

The Princess turned around and put her hands on Raye's shoulders. "Raye, he's just teasing you."

"Whatever!"

The Princess smiled. It helped Raye's mood relent. "Come on, Raye. Just have a good time tonight." She started to walk down the hallway holding Raye's hand. "You always look so miserable at the parties. You need to lighten up."

"Yeah, Raye!" Lita giggled. "Nobody wants to dance with someone who looks like she's constipated!"

Raye smacked Lita on the arm. "What are you talking about? I haven't seen you interacting with anyone except that bodyguard of yours!"

Princess Lita blushed deeply. "There's nothing going on between Lord Eiji and me."

"Just like Mina says there's nothing going on between her and that Don Diego guy from her planet." Raye said.

The girls giggled just before they entered into the grand ballroom. Hundreds of people stood around the room conversing, eating, dancing, and having a good time. Everyone cleared out of the way for the Princesses. Lita veered off at the sight of a familiar face while Raye took off into the crowd. The Princess headed straight to the crowd and went to the front of the ballroom. Her mother, Queen Serenity, sat at the top of a platform on her throne. Serena walked up to her mother. Queen Serenity stood up off her throne and took her daughter into her arms. Serena hugged her mother then looked around the ballroom. Lita stood sipping punch with Lord Eiji of Ganymede, a moon of Jupiter while Princess Ami stood conversing with important diplomats from all over the galaxy. Princess Mina and Don Diego, a nobleman of Venus, sat at a table flirting with each other. Her eyes locked on a handsome blonde-haired man that walked up the platform. Serena stepped forward and hugged the Prince. Queen Serenity took the Prince into her arms next.

"How are you, General?" Queen Serenity smirked.

He nodded. "Fine, your Majesty." He bowed to Serena too. "Princess."

The Queen and the Princess watched the expression on the Prince's face. "You don't look fine. You look quite miserable, in fact," The Princess commented.

He glanced around the room. "I just don't like parties very much, your Majesty."

Serenity put her hands on his shoulders. "You are General of the Moon Kingdom. That also means playing the part in the ballroom as well as the battlefield." She gave him a gentle push. "Go find a young lady and ask her to dance."

The Prince walked down off the platform and intermingled into the crowd. There were plenty of young women to ask to dance, but he felt comfortable with none of them. He walked around for a while but eventually headed out of the ballroom towards the balcony of the palace. He walked a long ways down the balcony, but when he turned the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"What do you want?" She hissed.

"Nothing, I just…" He took a step back. "I just wanted some fresh air, that's all."

"Are you sure?" The Princess looked back out towards the night sky. "Maybe you have some more insults to hurl at me."

Confused, the Prince walked past her but stopped and took a position on the railing a few feet away from her. "What are you talking about?"

She wouldn't answer him.

He pondered deeply then began to laugh. She looked over at him, irately, but he kept laughing. "You're mad about lunch."

She turned towards him with her hands on her hips. "Yes, and why are you laughing about it!"

"That's a ridiculous thing to be upset about."

Her eyebrows hunched and her fists clenched. "Being upset that you called me fat is not ridiculous! It's perfectly logical!"

"I never called you fat!" He exclaimed, angry that she would even propose such an idea.

"Well, you sure had to make comments about how much I was eating!" She jerked her head away as her eyes started to water.

"Raye, I was just kidding around…I…"

She turned back to him sharply. "Well, you may have just been kidding around, but you don't understand how it makes people feel!"

He fell silent. For the first time in his entire life, he saw Princess Raye of Mars, the battle-hardened and strong-willed warrior, vulnerable with any sort of feelings. She turned away. Her looks were something she always struggled with on the inside. The men of the court would always seem to ignore her—they never asked her to dance, and if she did have a brief fling with one of them, they ended up hurting her. "I don't appreciate you telling me how fat I am! Do you think I don't know?"

The Prince shook his head. "Raye, you're anything but fat." He looked back out to the night sky. "You're perfect," He whispered gently.

"What was that?" She looked over.

"Nothing." He glanced over for a moment then looked back to the night sky.

They stood in silence at the railing of the balcony for a long time. Their thoughts consumed them. Over and over again, he prayed for strength and courage while she pondered how she could speak a causal sentence to start conversation again.

She took a deep breath and spoke. "Nice night out, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yes, it is."

Her eyes wandered across the sky towards the Earth. "The Earth looks beautiful tonight."

Taking a deep breath and opening his soul, he spoke. "I think Mars looks beautiful tonight."

Confusion washed over her face. "But Mars isn't in the sky at this time…" She looked over. He was staring straight at her.

"Kyoji?" She questioned, using his informal name, as he approached her. He stepped up to her. They had never been that close before. Her heart started to pound, and her body trembled. Her eyes curiously racked over him, but closed when he kissed her. She returned his kiss for a moment, but pulled back. "What are you doing?"

He looked terrified. "Raye, I…I'm sorry…I…"

She was irate! Her face flushed a deep shade of red, and she put her hands on her hips. "How dare you! Why would you do such a thing!"

He shook his head. "Raye, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you angry!"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I can't believe you! This has to be the lowest thing you've ever done!" The tears fell down her face. "I can't believe you would kiss me just to tease me!"

"What are you talking about?" He started to get angry.

"Do you think it doesn't hurt enough?" She squeezed her fist. "A kiss is supposed to be between two people who care about each other!"

"Maybe I care about you!" He exclaimed.

Her anger relented instantly. "What?"

He stood silent for a moment. He took a deep breath. "Maybe I care about you."

"You care about me?" She questioned, skeptically. "If you cared anything about me, then why are you so cruel to me?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. It's just…you know, you're not the nicest person either!"

"We're not talking about me right now! We're talking about you!"

He rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Look, I know I haven't been the nicest to you, and you haven't been the nicest to me, but after all this time…" He looked up at her. "…you've captivated my heart." He looked away. "I mean, you're so passionate and strong…" He looked back over. "And beautiful."

"This isn't a trick?"

He shook his head. "No, I promise."

She slowly walked up to him, studying him with her eyes. She approached gingerly, but leaned in close to him and rested her head against his chest. Relieved, he wrapped his arms around her and took her into his embrace.

"You know, I've had a crush on you since we were children," She uttered into his chest.

"You've got a funny way of showing it," He said

She laughed, and he started to laugh with her as they held each other that night.

* * *

"Gosh, he is the worst person in the world!" Raye exclaimed to her friends. They rolled their eyes once again as they headed down the hallway.

"I think their fighting has gotten worse," Mina stated.

"Agreed," Ami commented.

Raye rolled her eyes. "Oh, whatever!" She parted from her friends. "I will see you guys later." She walked through a maze of hallways deep through the palace. Eventually, she reached a forsaken corner of the palace. Leaned against one of the pillars, The Prince gazed out the window. He looked over at the sound of footsteps, and he took the Princess into his arms.

"I missed you," She said.

"You saw me at dinner," He said.

She backed away from him and put her hands on her hips. "About that," She said, seriously. "That comment about my nose was uncalled for! I know we're supposed to act like we hate each other still, but that was just mean!"

He smiled. "You know I think you're nose is adorable." He leaned forward and kissed her nose. "Besides, what about that comment about my inability and impotence to lead the Army."

She shrugged. "You know I didn't mean it like that."

He cocked his eyebrow. "Fine, but did you have to say it that harshly?"

"Yes, otherwise, everyone will suspect something if we're not that mean to each other." She sighed. "I'm afraid even with all our efforts, this will not work."

"Why do you say that?"

She looked him in the eye. "They will never let us be together. We're each in line to our thrones. My Father or your Aunt will never let us be together."

He held her hands tightly. "I would renounce my title and live as a pauper before I would let that happen."

She nodded and hugged him.

* * *

She looked at her ring as it glowed in the moonlight. It was a simple silver band, and he wore one too. His hand clasped hers tightly as they carefully walked in darkness. They had just been married. Earlier that night, they left the palace in the middle of a party to say their vows to each other. Now, they were husband and wife in secret, and the rings marked their dedication and devotion to each other. They managed to sneak back into the palace without being detected. Some of the tension and fear of being caught fell off them. They walked down the hallways casually and in silence. Once they reached a familiar part of the palace, the Princess started to part away, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. He let her by the hand to his room.

* * *

Again, the Prince and Princess were in their secret place. In their forgotten corner of the palace, they met with each other and stood out on the balcony. She was somewhat tired and moody, but he was playful and silly. He grabbed her, and she half-heartedly fought him.

"Kyoji, please." She tried to squirm away from him.

He held her tighter against him, and lightly kissed her forehead. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," She continued to squirm. "I've just had a bad day, that's all."

He paused for a moment. "Raye, you know I love you, right."

She nodded, feeling her anxiety release. "I know."

"Then calm down." He kissed her. It was wonderful as she was engulfed in emotion. She fluttered her eyes open then jerked her head away.

"What's the matter?" The Prince gazed over Raye's horrified face. He turned around. "Queen Serenity!"

Before them stood the graceful and elegant, Serenity, Queen of the Moon Kingdom. His heart started to pound as the Queen stepped forward slowly.

"Queen Serenity, I…I…" The Prince stammered.

"How long has this been going on?"

The Prince sighed. "Six months, your majesty."

"Your Majesty," Raye stepped forward. "We didn't mean to deceive you…"

"Deceive me," The Queen interrupted. She almost laughed. "Did you really think you could deceive me with the way you to have been looking at each other lately?"

"You're not mad?" The Prince, breathed, almost wanting to laugh himself from the relief.

She giggled and shook head. "If anything, I am upset that you didn't feel you could talk to me about this."

"But, we thought it would never be allowed since we're both eligible to our thrones," Raye said. "I know my father would never allow it."

"Honestly now, I am not so barbaric as to oppose two people who love each other deeply." She took her son's hand then took Raye's hand. "Clearly, this is something meant to be."

The Prince looked solemn. "Aunt Serenity, we're married."

She nodded. "I figured so." She glanced over them. "Your hearts have become one."

"I'm sorry for such a disgrace," The Prince bowed his head.

"Never mind that. We'll figure out a way to present this to the people, but for now, we'll keep this between ourselves."

The Prince and Raye nodded.

* * *

As Sailor Mars stood watching her past unfold before her, tears stung her eyes. She looked up at Serenity. "What happened to us?"

The Queen was silent for a few moments. "You were both killed by Beryl when she attacked the Moon Kingdom." She closed her eyes. "You died in each other's arms."

"Did anyone know of us?"

Serenity shook her head. "No, your marriage was still a secret."

Sailor Mars pondered deeply for a few moments. "I never knew. I mean, Tuxedo Samurai and Kyoji Tsukiyama? They seemed like two different people." Raye sighed. "Tuxedo Samurai was so bold and outgoing, but Kyoji was so shy and quiet."

Serenity nodded. "Yes, but they are one and the same." She paused. "My son has led a difficult life on the Earth—full of sadness and pain. The Prince you loved is inside of him. You've just have to help him find himself again."

Sailor Mars nodded.

Serenity walked over to Raye. She held up her hands. There was a small white crystal attached on a string. Serenity put the crystal necklace over Raye's head, and backed away. "This is for you, Princess." Sailor Mars grabbed the white crystal and held it up. "What is this?"

"Look deeply," Serenity uttered.

Sailor Mars peered her eyes. She stared hard into the small cloudy white crystal. Soon, it started to glow, and Raye's attention was captivated by the insight she had into the depth of the crystal. Inside was a small, tiny little mass. Revelation filled her mind, but she couldn't believe it. "Queen Serenity?"

Serenity stepped forward and clasped her hands over Raye's hands. "You didn't know it, but you were with child when you died."

Instantly, tears poured from Sailor Mars' eyes. Serenity started to cry too. "When I found you dead, I still felt life-force then I realized that you were pregnant." I saved the embryo and put into this crystal."

Sailor Mars gripped the crystal tightly.

"When you're ready, you can transfer the embryo back into your body."

Sailor Mars nodded.

* * *

She was back in her own time. All the Sailors had been awaken and restored back to the present time. Raye was the last to join them. After a while of discussing what had happened, they all disembarked for their homes. Having a moment alone, she decided to check on Kyoji. Supposedly, the guys had put his body in his shed. She went to the shed, opened the door, and looked inside. The light was on, the covers were pushed to the side, but there was no body in the bed. She stepped out and shut the door, thinking. She knew in her heart where he was. She walked down the deck of the temple for a few moments. She headed into the buildings and weaved through the hallways. She stopped at a door way and paused, feeling the heat radiate from the room. She took a deep breath and opened then door, the heat instantly hitting her face. She watched through the crack in the door.

He sat stoically in front of the fire. His eyes were closed, and his chest barely moved to even breathe. Not wanting to scare him, she walked in slowly. She was impressed with her stealth, but nevertheless, he sensed her and woke up. He looked over his let shoulder at her. She shrugged her shoulders and slowly walked over. She sat down next to him.

He looked surprised as she sat down so causally. Her mannerisms were gentle, and her facial expression warm. She looked at him tenderly. "Are you alright?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Did you meet with Queen Serenity?"

"Yes,"

Raye paused for a moment. His response to her was still short and reserved. She sighed for a moment and closed her eyes. "I don't know even how to start with this…" She shook her head. "Kyoji, I was wrong."

He looked up at her.

She opened her eyes again and looked at him. "I treated you so horribly." She shook her head. "I don't deserve you."

It was difficult for him to speak. "But destiny has knitted us together, we have no choice."

"There is always a choice." Raye sighed. "I was making wrong choices by running away from you." She sighed again. "And here and now, if you chose to leave me, I would understand it."

He looked at her, staring deeply at her for a few moments.

She started to cry. She hated the fact that she cried, but she could never help it. Talking to him was painful, and there seemed to be no hope for her. "I know I was cruel to you, but even before I knew you were Tuxedo Samurai, I did love you. I'm sure of it now. When you died, I…"

"Why did you have a relationship with both of them?"

Raye shook her head. "I was having dreams of Tuxedo Samurai. I did believe that he was of my past, but I…" She paused. "I wanted you in my future."

He looked away. "I had dreams of Sailor Mars. I didn't know who she was, but I believed that she was something from my past. But you were in my present." He dug in the shirt of his priest uniform. "I have truly loved you always." He handed her a picture.

Raye took the picture and looked. It was of her as a little girl, and she was sitting in the lap of her mother. It brought more tears to her eyes—she had no pictures of her mother; they were locked up in her father's house. She looked up at Kyoji.

"Keep it. I don't need it anymore."

She looked fearful—was he abandoning her?

He saw her fear. "I want to see you with my own eyes for the rest of my life." He sighed. "But, I don't know if you wish the same thing."

Emotion overflowed her heart. She reached out and grabbed his hand quickly. "If you'll have me, I want to be your wife someday."

She stared at her for a moment then gripped her hand back. "I cannot think of anything I have wished for more."

She leapt forward throwing her arms around him. "I love you." She almost laughed from the relief. Her heart fluttered when his arms came up and went around her. He hugged her tightly against himself. "I love you too," he whispered.

She pulled away from him to look at him. She was always awed by it—his eyes were happy. As they looked at each other for a few moments, it was awkward. They knew what was next, and they had done it before, but never officially as Kyoji and Raye. He was clearly afraid, for the last time made her angry, but they both leaned closer to each other in their fear. Their lips met gently. After their fear melted away, they backed away and sighed in relief. He turned his gaze back to the fire, but Raye rested her head on his shoulder before staring into the sacred fire.


	23. Love

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**Love**

It was a beautiful spring day. The snow had melted, the buds of life had awakened, and the song of the birds filled the air. The gentle breeze tickled her skin while the warmth of the sun seeped through her body. She lay on her back over a blanket while she held a book above her face.

He sighed, somewhat restless and bored. "Why are you reading so much?"

"I'm almost finished with my chemistry for the year."

"But isn't your school finished in July?"

"Yes, but I'd rather be done and out of the way. I only have six more chapters to complete."

"Ami-chan," he said sternly. "Just put the book down."

"It'll only take a few minutes."

He rolled over from his back toward her. He grabbed the book away from her. She tried to snatch it back, but he sat up and held it away from her.

"Hayate! Give me my book!" She tried to reach for it.

"No!" He kept it away from her.

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Hayate! Give it to me!"

"Ami-chan," He threw the book across the grass.

"Hayate! That's my chemistry book!"

He grinned. "Yes, and I'll let you have it later."

Frustrated, she lay back down and stared up at the sky. He leaned over her still smirking. He thought it was extremely cute when she was angry, but her anger didn't relent.

"Ami-chan, there's more to life than books," He reached down and brushed a lock of hair from her eyes.

"I know that," She hissed. "I just want to get good grades."

He nodded. "I know you do, but Ami-chan, you're smart. You're doing a good job. Sometimes we've done all we can do and can do no more. You're going to miss out on a lot of things if you keep reading about things instead of discovering them yourself."

Her anger relented. He lay back down at her side, and they stared up into the blue sky in silence.

* * *

He sat at the table writing letters to his sisters. He would write the letters and set them to his sisters' school in Hokkaido. His sisters' would then pick them up, write replies, and send out letters to their brother in Tokyo from their high school. He would pause to think occasionally then start writing again.

"Is there anything you want to say, dear?"

She smiled whenever he called her that. She stood in front of the stove cooking lunch. "Just that I love and miss them."

He nodded and continued to write. Soon, he finished the letter, and started to get it ready to mail.

She stirred the red sauce then pulled the spoon up for a taste. She then added more spices. Glancing over at the noodles, she exchanged utensils to stir them. As she focused on making lunch, she felt two arms side around her waist. She leaned back into him as his face went to her neck.

"What are you making?" He mumbled gently against her neck.

"Hmm…spaghetti," He almost giggled as his voice tickled her. "It's almost done. Can you set the table?"

He inhaled deeply, catching her scent. He slowly backed away from her and started to rummage in the cupboards for the dishes.

"Thank you." She said, always trying to be thankful. She it was always a problem for married women to get their husbands to help around the house, but she didn't have too much trouble with Eiji. Of course, he might not always put his laundry in the hamper, but he generally was a help around the house. Sometimes they fought about stupid things such as him not putting the toilet seat down—not realizing it made her fall in the toilet during the middle of the night. Sometimes they fought about serious things such as money or chores, but overall, their relationship was great. They loved each other few much. She smiled as she pondered over all this. She looked up to stare at him lovingly, but he was already staring at her. She faintly smiled. "Yes?"

He pulled a glass down from the cupboard while keeping his eyes on her. He faintly nodded his head while he pondered. "I love you."

She gently nodded back. "I love you too."

* * *

He always knew the way to her heart—food. He watched her, fist pressed into his cheek while she gorged herself on a hot fudge sundae. Chocolate smeared all over her face as she shoved bite after bite into her mouth. Tearing her eyes away from her sundae, she glanced up at him, cheeks stuffed. "What?"

He shook his head, and smiled. "Nothing."

She shrugged her shoulders and continued eating. After a few seconds, she finished off the sundae. She let out a loud sigh, pushed the dish away, and leaned back into the booth. "Thanks for taking me here. It's my favorite."

"I know," He smiled and glanced away.

"Is there something wrong, Darien?" Serena looked at him suspiciously.

He looked up at her. "No, nothing." He was somewhat flustered.

"Then what is it?"

He looked around the Crown Fruit Parlor, the favorite hang-out of the Sailor Scouts. "It seems like so many years ago that I first saw a klutzy meatball head in this place."

Her eyebrows hunched. "I thought we discussed the meatball head thing a long time again."

"I know, I just meant…" He trailed off. He had promised Serena a few years ago that he would never say that infamous catch phrase anymore. "I just meant a lot of things have happened since we first met."

She nodded in agreement. The past four years of knowing Darien had its ups, downs, twists, turns, rips, and healings. She had thought of all they preserved through to come to this moment.

"Serena, I know we have some difficult times, and we didn't get along at first, but when I saw for the first time, you did steal a piece of my heart." He shook his head and dug into his pocket. "I know this is an unusual time and place for this, but this place has a lot of meaning for the both of us." He pulled out his hand with a ring between his fingers. "Serena, I love you. Will you marry me?"

She screamed, tears instantly welling in her eyes as if she was being murdered. The entire crowd turned toward a screaming Serena and a mortified Darien.

"Are you okay?" Darien asked, thinking she was upset.

"I'm just so happy!" She leapt over the table, knocking her sundae dish out of the way, to embrace him. He grabbed her in his arms as her sobbing tears fell over her.

"Are you sure?"

She looked up at him and wiped her tears. She noticed everyone was staring at her. "I'M GETTING MARRIED!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "I LOVE DARIEN CHIBA!"

The entire restaurant erupted in cheer while Darien smiled gingerly and Serena kept screaming.

* * *

"So Mina, what do your parents do for a living?" His mother coldly asked while stirring her tea with a silver spoon.

"Uh, my father is a psychologist, and my mother is a housewife," Mina said before nervously taking a sip of her tea.

"A licensed psychologist?" She asked.

"Of course, he's licensed mother!" Diego hissed in annoyance.

She fluttered her long eye lashes. She was a beautiful and elegant woman, but very cold and stern. "Well, who would know with all these phonies running around these days?" She took a sip of her tea. "That's a lovely dress," She looked at Mina.

Mina glanced down at her sundress. "Thank you, Señora de La Vega."

"Yes, I saw something like it in the charity pile for the homeless last month at my women's activist club."

"Oh," She looked down at her dress again.

"Mother," Diego hissed again.

She paid no attention to him. "Well, it looks lovely on you, dear. I mean," She held her cup up and motioned with her hand towards Mina. "I mean, it must take all you have to offset those split ends and poor nail grooming, but you do it somewhat well with the resources you _do _have."

Diego shot up from his chair, and grabbed Mina by the hand. "That's it, we're leaving now."

Diego's mother, Elena de La Vega, set her tea cup down. "Leave so soon, Diego? Why you just got here,"

His eyebrows hunched. "Don't play innocent with me!"

Her seemingly gentle face instantly froze into coldness. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you expect, my son?" She held her head high and stuck her nose in the air.

"I expect you to be nice to the people I bring home—especially my girlfriend!"

Her eyes grew colder. She stared at Mina. "The sooner you break up with my son, the better. You're not his type. You're not one of us."

"Mother!"

Mina jerked her hand away and instantly stormed off the patio. She went back into the mansion and charged through the marble floors, sitting rooms, and long hallways until she finally reached the door. Diego followed behind her every step of the way. She finally reached the front door and exited back out into the daylight.

"Mina, wait!" He hollered for her.

She didn't answer. She kept charging off, tears streaming down her face. She didn't care, but she walked straight on the front lawn of the mansion.

"Mina, please!"

The heel on her shoe snapped. She collapsed over, shrieking and falling into the fresh cut grass—staining her new white dress. Diego rushed over to help her up, but she didn't want to be touched. Suddenly, the sprinkler system came on soaking them both. Mina closed her eyes and groaned.

"Mina, are you alright?"

She was silent with rage for a moment. "Just leave me alone."

Diego stood up, and tried to help her up. She refused his help, and tried to stand the best she could. She took off her heels, and walked across the wet lawn barefoot.

Diego sighed and walked alongside her. "Those things she said were uncalled for, I hope you know that."

"Well, she still said them. She hates me, you know."

As much as he wanted to believe that his mother didn't hate his girlfriend, he knew it was too true. "I know."

She walked in silence for a few minutes then stepped onto the pavement of the driveway. "Well, then how are we supposed to ever survive when your parents hate me?"

"We'll survive because we love each other." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "You know I'll always side with you, right?"

She didn't answer.

"Mina," he said sternly.

She nodded, and breathed deeply. "Yes, I know."

He took the shoes away from her so he could hold her hand while he carried the shoes with his other hand. "If they want any part of me then they're going to have to accept you."

"I know, I…" She paused. "I feel so self-conscious when I'm around them. I never feel like I measure up to their standards."

He almost laughed. "I completely understand." As they walked, they finally reached the entrance to the property. They opened the gate, and walked out onto the sidewalk. "They just don't see you as I do. You're absolutely beautiful, and you look wonderful in that dress."

She faintly smiled, cheeks blushing from embarrassment, as she looked down at her dress. She looked back up with the same smile.

He smiled too. "That's better."

* * *

He wanted to assign them more chores, but how could he? He watched from a distance as the young couple sat upon a rock holding hands. Her head on his shoulder and his leaned against hers. He shook his head in disbelief, and turned away to complete some other task.

The couple watched the sun sink into the horizon while the sky filled with shades of red, purple, pink, and orange. She sighed as she gripped his hand tighter. It felt like his hand fit perfectly into hers—as if they were made for each other. She glanced up at him for a moment. His attention was firmly fixed on the sunset. He could be very serious and reflective at times. He was still somewhat shy at school, and people wondered why she traded Daita for him, but she felt like the luckiest girl in the world. She was so proud of him. He noticed her staring. She smiled. He faintly smiled back. They turned their attention back to the sunset. No words were needed; they knew they loved each other.

* * *

"You want anything to eat or drink?" She hollered from the kitchen.

"Just water, please." He hollered back.

Soon she came in with a glass of water. She sat down on the couch next to him, and handed him the glass of water. He took the glass, gulped half of it, then set it down on the end table.

She stared forward at the television as the movie started to play. Of course, he started to get distracted quickly. Sometimes she wondered if he had ADD, but he only ever seemed to be distracted by her. She made him watch the movie for the first half, but by the second half, she was responding more to his teases and advances. First a pinch or a quick kiss on the cheek, but finally she gave in. As the movie played on, she tore attention away from it and kissed him. Her hand came up over his ear. Her fingers gently played with the locks of dark blue hair that fell over his ear. To the entire world, Mizuno Ami was a shy and quiet girl, but for Kaiba Hayate, she was passionate and expressive. She surprised him once again with her forcefulness as she pressed him back. His back pressed hard against the couch while she came up out of her seat and leaned over him, almost pressing herself against him.

She was even surprising herself with her own actions, but it felt so natural and right. It felt as if running rivers of passion flowed through her. As if everything inside her had been locked up like a dam, and was now bursting forth into a torrent. His powers were ice, but she unfroze him on the inside. Her touch was cool and cleansing, but his heart was on fire for her. Their lips crashed again and again like the ocean crashing into the shore. It was like the ebb and flow of the tides—withdrawal and advance.

The front door opened. Ami jerked away and immediately flew into her position on the couch. Hayate immediately scooted over to his side of the couch while Ami sat in terror.

Umiko Mizuno stood in the entrance of the house clutching and gripping her keys tightly while holding a bag of groceries. Her eyes narrowed as she looked upon the two that were committing atrocities on her couch. She looked at Hayate, her eyes narrowing. "Get out of my house." She uttered slowly, trying to restrain fury and rage. "And leave my daughter alone."

"Mom, that's completely unnecessary!" Ami stood up from the couch.

"I don't want to hear it, Ami!" Umiko dropped the bag of groceries on the floor. "He was practically leading you into fornication on my couch and in my house!"

"Mom!" Ami's face completely red. "That was hardly what was happening!"

"Well, it's what he wants to happen!" She pointed at Hayate. "What do you think a guy his age is after?"

Hayate stood up. "Mizuno-san, I can highly assure you that I only have pure intentions…"

"Be quiet, you!" Umiko held her hand up to Hayate.

"Mom, we weren't doing anything!"

She almost laughed. "It looked like you weren't doing anything!" She put her hands on her hips. "Yes, I know it seems like nothing—just a little hand holding and some kissing. It all seems fine and wonderful when you're in love, but one day you'll wind up pregnant, and he'll be off telling another woman the same things he told you!"

Ami rolled her eyes. "You're being a bit dramatic!"

"I most certainly am not! I know the real world, Ami…"

Hayate stared at Umiko. All the screaming and yelling blurred into one big noise as he stared at her; however, he could feel and sense things as clear as day. He closed his eyes and pondered deeply for a moment. "Mizuno-san," He said.

They didn't hear him.

"Mizuno-san!" He hollered deeply. The two women fell silent. There hadn't ever been the stern deep voice of a man hollering in their house ever before; it immediately grabbed their attention. "Mizuno-san," He said more gently this time, but still firm. He looked Umiko straight in the eye. "I'm not going to hurt Ami like Ichiro hurt you."

Her anger shattered. She turned to Hayate. "What do you know about Ichiro?" Tears almost welled in her eyes.

"Umiko-san," Hayate breathed. "I know that I'm a few years older than your daughter, and I'll never deserve her, but your daughter is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You daughter has believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself. I know she's young, but she is wise and compassionate beyond her years." He faintly smirked. "That is why I love her so much." He looked toward Ami. "I will never leave her or forsake her because I love her with everything in me."

Umiko stood silent for a moment with tears running down her face. She looked at Ami. Her daughter stepped toward Hayate and took his hand. "Mom, I love him. I know you would have wanted me to be with a doctor or…"

"Ami, I…" Umiko dried her tears. "I've always wanted to protect you. I never wanted you to be with anyone because I was afraid you'd be hurt like I was." She shook her head then looked up at Hayate. "I see now that Kaiba-san is to protect you now."

"Mom!" Ami leapt forward and entered her mother's embrace.


	24. Crystal Power

**Chapter Twenty Four**

**Crystal Power**

Her Generals were either dead, weak, or on the side of the enemy. Alexandrite was dead, Azariah was weak and pathetic, and Kaiba and Kanejiro had joined the side of the Sailor Scouts. The old Queen stared hard into her pool of reflection. There were many things to be done and not enough man power to do them. Sailor Mars was still alive, The Moon Prince was not hers, and process to rebirthing Crystal Tokyo was not in motion yet. She gripped tightly the black crystal that she always held with her. The time was close, but it wasn't now. There wasn't enough evil energy transferred into the crystal quiet yet.

"Mother?"

The Queen didn't turn around at the sound of her daughters voice, but a wide smirk grew on her face. "Yes, Morganite?"

The daughter of Beryl with bright pink hair and red eyes stepped forward coming over to her mother's side. "Are you alright?"

"I am quite fine, darling." Beryl said. "Tell me, dear, what you see in the pool."

Morganite looked over the hazy waters. "I see nothing, mother. Will it tell me my future?"

"Yes, it will in fact give you your future, my dear."

Morganite kneeled down. She peered over the waters for a few moments, but still saw nothing. She inched her face closer and closer to the water, staring into it hard. Suddenly, she felt a hand on the back of her head, and she was pushed into the water. She fought and kicked to bring her head back up out of the water, but she wasn't strong enough.

Beryl laughed. With one hand she forcefully held her daughter's head under the murky waters while Morganite flailed her limbs madly. Soon, her arms stopped, and Morganite lay lifeless on the ground with her head in the water. When the girl died, the crystal started to glow, absorbing the energy of the horrible deed of a mother killing her own daughter. "Yes, indeed it will give you your future."

Other emotions were stirring in the Negaverse. The young fire General lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't believe what had happened to him. The cold and merciless General of Ice had joined with the Sailor Scouts, and most of all, he was now with that mortal girl. She thought of the young blue haired Sailor Scout then shot a fireball at a pillar of ice. "If I can't have him, no one can!" She sat up from her bed. "Kaiba is mine!"

* * *

She held the diamond crystal in her hand. Queen Serenity gave it to her when they were saved from Beryl. It was the Moon Crystal—a separate crystal that held the life-force from the Moon back in the days of the Silver Millennium. Darien looked at it, but still didn't understand it. He was no where near the strength or power of the other Tuxedo Warriors. He was supposed to be their leader, but he was the weakest of them all. It clearly frustrated him, but Serena understood and only tried to comfort him.

* * *

Ami walked into her kitchen. He was sitting at the table doing nothing while a large stack of books lay in front of him. "You're supposed to be doing your homework."

"Finished," he said casually.

"Finished?" She questioned. She opened up the book with a stack of papers shoved in them. All the papers were finished, and the answers looked right. She looked over at Hayate. "You know, I really wonder if you're not a genius sometimes."

"Genius?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I can't even do half the stuff people my age can do."

"Yes, but you've learned to become fully literate in a few months." She put the papers back. "It usually takes the average person 16 years to just read the newspaper here in Japan."

"Well, since I'm done, do you want to go for a walk?"

She pondered for a moment. "Where to?"

"I don't know. Maybe the park or something?"

"Sure."

* * *

Without permission, she left the Negaverse and traveled into the mortal world. The Queen might kill her for such an action, but it didn't matter to her. Once she would complete her mission, she would back in the good graces of Queen Beryl. She was going to kill Sailor Mercury and bring back Kaiba. With her keen senses, she discovered the position of the former General, and followed him. From behind a line of trees, she poked out her head and carefully watched as he strolled through the park. He was in mortal clothes and had a different aura about him. He didn't seem to be the same person anymore. His arm came up and rested at the lower back of the young blue-haired woman. She gently bent over to throw a piece of bread to the ducks in the lake.

Azariah frowned. His hands were on that other girl instead of her. Fire kindled into a ranging inferno as her eyes locked on the blue haired girl. She couldn't handle it anymore. She charged forward, flying across the grassy lawn of the park, and she crashed into Ami. Azariah's hands grabbed a hold of Ami's arms, burning them at the same time. Ami screamed from the burning sensation until the cool water of the lake touched them. Azariah released Ami once they flew into the lake. Azariah jumped out of the water, only having to dodge ice attacks from Hayate.

"Kaiba, what are you doing?"

"My name is Hayate!" He threw more attacks.

She dodged them all then landed on the sidewalk next to the lake. Ami swam back to the edge, and Hayate helped her out of the water.

"What do you want with us?" Hayate hollered. "Just leave us alone, and we'll leave you alone!"

Azariah pointed toward Ami. "What are you doing with her? You're mine, and mine alone!"

Hayate shook his head. "Azariah, that's not who I am anymore."

The fire General's aura flared up. Waves of raging fire surrounded her body. "You are mine, Kaiba! How dare you refuse me!"

"He's clearly with me!" Ami stepped forward, very angry. "Hayate has turned to the good side! So go away!"

Hayate looked over and smirked. He loved it when she was bold and fiery, and it was for him.

Azariah laughed. "Kaiba good?" She shook her head. "Kaiba is nothing but evil. You obviously don't know who you're dealing with!"

"He's changed!" Ami hollered.

"He hasn't changed. He's a cold-blooded killer and a loyal subject of the Negaverse!"

Ami shook with rage. Tears started to flow down her face. "Hayate is not that person anymore. He'll never turn back to the Negaverse!"

Azariah laughed again. "Oh, I get it. You love him!"

Ami shook harder, more tears coming down her face. "So what if I do? He's still not going with you!

The fire General grinned widely. "You are so naïve. At least, he didn't have to give me all that mushy lying about love when he slept with me."

Hayate closed his eyes. His past deeds haunted his soul and made him ache with guilt constantly. There were no secrets—he had told Ami the things he had done, including the things with Azariah, but guilt still ached him to hear it again.

"Be silent now and leave," Ami said sternly.

"Not likely!"

Ami reached for her Sailor pen, but Azariah had moved too fast. This time, she attacked Hayate, and knocked him into the lake. Swimming was no problem for him, but she had learned a new trick. While he was distracted, she performed her new attack. It was Fire Liquid. The fiery liquid, much like molten lava, surrounded Kaiba's leg s then quickly hardened. It felt like his legs were dipped in cement. He instantly sank to the bottom of the lake. Ami had just finished her transforming process. She looked around frantically for Hayate, but didn't seem him. Suddenly, she was hit from behind with a fireball, and she fell into the lake.

She was naturally an excellent swimmer, but as Sailor Mercury, she was superb. She swam as fast as she could towards Hayate. He was trying to break free from the molten lava, but he couldn't. He fainted underwater, and stopped fighting. Frantically, she swam toward him, and tried to remove the lava. It wouldn't work. Suddenly, her body was jerked backwards, and she was punched in the face by Azariah. More punches and kicks soon followed. They were body numbing and painful. Her mind went dizzy and hazy. She was jerked back and forth in the water, but couldn't do anything to move her body. She then felt the warm molten lava surround and encase her body. It hardened and stiffened her body then she sunk to the bottom.

Everything was hazy. It was peaceful and quiet as she slowly drifted down to the bottom. She looked up, seeing the rays of sunlight seep down into the depths of the water. It was the last light she would see as she felt she was dying. Her chest started convulsing for air, but she couldn't get any. Her molten feet crashed onto the bottom of the lake. Her head jerked, and it knocked her to sleep. It felt like she fainted, but she was still conscious. After a few moments, alertness returned. She was still alive. Her chest didn't convulse anymore. She could breathe—underwater. She fluttered her eyes open. In front of her was a small glowing light. Her eyes looked up. It was the stone on her tiara. Her entire body relaxed and loosened. Instead of fighting for strength and power, by relaxing and letting it flow, power surged out from her body breaking the molten lava off her body. She was free. It felt like rivers of power gushed out from within her.

She looked over at the lifeless body of her lover and quickly forgot the feelings she was having. She pushed toward him, but was propelled forward strongly. She could swim much stronger and faster and with greater force. It was amazing. With two pushes, she reached Hayate. She slammed her fist into the molten lava on Hayate's legs, and it cracked off. She grabbed him around the waist then pushed against the bottom of the lake as hard as she could. She couldn't believe it. The push sent Hayate and her skyrocketing out of the air and into the air. They went up so high that she was able to angle then to land on the ground. When she hit the ground, she instantly laid Hayate on the ground. He started to cough and choke up water. She helped him to start breathing again, and he fluttered his eyes open.

"Ami!" He gasped for air. He glanced over her, also realizing that there was a huge change in her.

"He's mine!" Azariah flew at Sailor Mercury.

Sailor Mercury turned to look at Azariah charging. She flung her hand forward. A huge wave of water came up from the lake and crashed into Azariah. It sent the fire General flying back, and the general landed in the grass. Hayate managed to stand up, and he stood behind Sailor Mercury.

"Impressive," He said.

Azariah stood back up, not so impressed. She tried charging again, but this time Sailor Mercury and Hayate worked together. She again waived her hand, causing a large wave to come up while Hayate blew out cool air from his mouth. Instantly the wave froze, trapping Azariah. She fell like an ice cube into the water, and started sinking to the bottom. Hayate reached down and put in his finger in the water. The lake froze over.

Sailor Mercury ran over to Hayate, and grabbed him in her grasp when he stood up. She hugged his cold wet body tightly. "I thought I lost you for a moment!"

He gently put his arms around her. "But you saved me." He glanced over her, feeling the complete change in her spirit that just had taken place. "Ami, you're so different now."

She pulled back a little to look at him. "I feel different now." Boldly, she stepped forward and kissed him.

"So this is what you do on Sailor business?"

Sailor Mercury jerked her head back, slightly embarrassed as the other Sailor Scouts stood grinning and smirking.

"Well, I…" Sailor Mercury trailed off.

"Anyway," Sailor Jupiter stepped forward. "Are you two alright?"

Sailor Venus giggled. "They looked more than alright."

Tuxedo Zorro looked over the water, seeing that it was completely frozen. "Cool," He muttered while gazing over the ice. His eyes rested on a reddish glowing spot beneath the surface. He peered closely, but suddenly, the ground started to rumble. The Sailors and the Tuxedo Warriors braces themselves. The ice cracked, and Azariah shot up out of the frozen lake. Her body was engulfed in flames, her skin burning furnace red, and steam poured out of her nostrils and ears. Angrily, she huffed and she puffed while hovering in the air.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" She screamed while flying towards Sailor Mercury. She grabbed a hold of the blue warrior and slammed her palms into Sailor Mercury's shoulders. She pushed Sailor Mercury so hard into the ground that it tore a path into the grass. Hayate had chased after them and transformed into Tuxedo Knight. While Sailor Mercury lay stuck in the ground, Azariah turned around and dodged an attack from the Excalibur of Tuxedo Knight. She punched him in the face, fists burning with fire, and sent him flying.

Everyone stood in awe of the red headed warrior. She stood, still flaming with rage, while she gazed at everyone. Her anger, rage, and jealously had made her more powerful than they could have imagined. She eyed everyone. "Kaiba is mine!" She turned around and slammed her foot a top of Sailor Mercury's chest. Sailor Mercury screamed and choked for air at the same time.

"Leave her alone!" Sailor Moon charged first, throwing her tiara while running towards the Fire General. The attack was no match for the strength of Azariah, but with Sailor Moon's determination and love, she threw it so perfectly that it did manage to scratch Azariah's cheek. Furious, the Fire General turned her head and looked at Sailor Moon. She took her foot off Sailor Mercury then charged forward at Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask leapt forward to try and protect Sailor Moon. As he reached her, throwing his arms around her waist to pull her away, Azariah had pulled back her fist to strike. Azariah punched her fiery fist at the two, but was blinded by the sudden burst of light that came forth. Everyone shielded his or her eyes from the bright glowing light. Only Tuxedo Samurai seemed to be unaffected by the brightness. After a few seconds of the blinding light, Tuxedo Mask's arm was up, blocking the punch of Azariah. He took the liberty to returning the attack on Azariah, and she went flying backwards.

"What happened?" Sailor Mars asked.

Tuxedo Samurai smirked. "Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask has discovered their powers."

Azariah charged again at Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, but Sailor Moon held up her hand, causing another flash of blinding light. Azariah covered her eyes and screamed from the pain of the flash. She stumbled around while trying to regain her sight. After a few moments, she was able to open her eyes and face the daylight.

"Just go home, Azariah," Tuxedo Knight said sternly.

"NEVER!" She stumbled around. "I'll never leave! You're mine! You're mine!" Her anger and jealously shook her body so hard she started to cry. "You can't leave me! You're mine!"

"Azariah, please. Just go home." Tuxedo Knight stepped forward. "I'm not the same person anymore."

Azariah had collapsed to her knees. She looked around. There was too many of them to fight off. She grabbed her ankle. "I can't move. I hurt my ankle."

"What do you want us to do?" Tuxedo Knight asked.

He looked up for a moment and sat silently. "Please, help me."

Tuxedo Knight nodded and stepped forward with Sailor Mercury right behind him. They walked over to Azariah and kneeled down next to the wounded Fire General. Sailor Mars was baffled. Tuxedo Samurai was a healer, why wasn't he helping her? She glanced over at him, and he was starting to draw his weapon and step forward.

"Let me see your ankle," Sailor Mercury said. Within the wrappings of her leg, Azariah carried a small knife. She never used weapons, but this time she made an exception. Pulling out the small knife, she quickly stabbed toward Sailor Mercury. Tuxedo Knight saw the attack coming and tried to save Sailor Mercury. Instead of being stabbed in the chest like Azariah wanted, Sailor Mercury was stabbed in the shoulder.

"AMI!" Tuxedo Knight caught her in his arms. Azariah was knocked away from them as Tuxedo Samurai charged into battle. Azariah and Tuxedo Samurai started fighting.

"Sailor Moon! Heal Ami quickly!" Tuxedo Samurai yelled.

The soldier of the Moon ran over to Sailor Mercury. She placed her hand over the bloody wound and started using her new powers to heal. Just like Tuxedo Samurai, Sailor Moon had the exact same powers of healing and light.

The emotional berserk of Azariah was even troubling Tuxedo Samurai, the greatest of the warriors, second only to King Endymion. He would block and attack, but her attacks were doing more damage and were striking him frequently. Sailor Jupiter charged in with Tuxedo Ninja and started attacking. Tuxedo Ninja was able to strike her while she was focused on Tuxedo Samurai, and Sailor Jupiter was able to use her new Electric Shock powers to immobilize Azariah.

The warrior flew back a few feet from the electric current, and landed in the grass. She was lifeless and didn't move. Everyone stared for a moment wondering if she was finally dead. It seemed like hours had passed, and she didn't even move at all. It didn't look like she was breathing or anything.

"Do you think she's dead?" Tuxedo Zorro finally spoke up.

"I don't know." Sailor Moon uttered sadly. She shook her head in sadness. "Such jealously has led her to this disastrous place."

Sailor Mercury looked at Tuxedo Knight. She knew he was saddened because of his involvement with Azariah. She took a hold of his arm and leaned against it to comfort him.

"She's not dead," Tuxedo samurai said sternly.

"What?" Tuxedo Mask looked over at Azariah then back to Tuxedo Samurai. "She looks dead to me."

"Are you sure?" Tuxedo Zorro walked over to the body. He walked straight up to Azariah and kicked her in the side. She didn't move. He looked back to the others. "She's dead!"

Before they could even blink, Azariah evaporated from her position on the ground, and appeared behind Tuxedo Zorro. Her arm went around his neck, and she held her small knife to his throat. "Come any closer, and I'll kill him!"

"Diego!" Sailor Venus jumped forward.

"Okay, she's alive!" Tuxedo Zorro said while choking from the arm around his neck.

"Azariah, let him go!" Tuxedo Knight stepped forward.

The Fire General took a step back with Tuxedo Zorro. "Leave her, and come back to me!"

"Azariah!" He hollered sternly.

The Fire General smirked widely. She pressed her knife into his neck, drawing a little blood.

The wind (which wasn't strong that day) started to blow violently. Everyone looked around for the cause of the sudden storm. Their eyes rested on Sailor Venus. The orange stone on her tiara started to glow along with the orange Planet Crystal that she carried with her. Her long blonde hair flapped violently in the wind while she stared Azariah down. She held out her hand, closed her eyes then stretched her fingers. A huge gust of wind shot out from her hand. Tuxedo Zorro flew out of Azariah's grasp. While flying through the air, he grabbed his whip and snapped it at a lamppost while flying by. He anchored himself to the post while Azariah kept flying on. Soon, she fell into the ground, and Tuxedo Zorro came down from his flight.

Azariah got back up and charged again. Sailor Venus did the same thing to her. Azariah stood up again, but didn't charge this time. She stood pondering for a moment while looking over all the Sailor Scouts. After thinking for a few moments, a large smirk appeared on her face. She started to laugh wildly which caused the Sailors to feel uneasy. She held her hands up and clasped them together. She kept laughing and laughing as she slowly unclasped her hands. A small red ball of energy formed within her hands. She started to levitate above the ground and floated up above the Sailors.

"What are you laughing at?" Sailor Jupiter hollered, very annoyed with Azariah's cackling.

Azariah kept laughing. "It I can't have him, no one can!" The red ball grew bigger to about the size of a basketball. "I'll destroy you all!"

The Sailors got on guard. Sailor Jupiter shot out her lightning, but the lightning was absorbed into the red ball.

"Nobody attack!" Tuxedo Knight yelled. "It'll only feed her ball!"

"What is it?" Tuxedo Ninja asked.

Tuxedo Knight took a step forward, looking up at Azariah. "It's her signature attack. The Fire Bomb."

"What do we do?" Tuxedo Samurai asked.

"Brace yourselves!" Tuxedo Knight hollered, seeing that Azariah's ball was ready.

While still laughing, Azariah threw the ball towards the ground. It sunk deep into the earth. The Sailors stared down at the place where it entered. The ground started to rumble. The entire area the warriors stood on was engulfed with exploding flames. It was as if a sinkhole appeared under them swallowing them up into a sea of fire. Azariah laughed even harder as the tortured screams of the warriors rose above the flames. Their powers protected them from burning too fast, but their powers weren't matching to the power of the Fire Bomb. As they painfully and slowly burned, they screamed louder and louder.

Lying on the ground, she gasped for air. Her body was scorching and burning. It was so hot that tears leaked from her eyes, but would instantly dry up off her face. She looked around. Her friends were dying. She heard his scream. Her only true love was dying. She closed her eyes, wishing for strength, and it was then she felt it come to her. Suddenly, she wasn't hot anymore. In fact, the raging fire seemed to energize and fuel her. She managed to stand up. She held her arm straight in the air and opened her palm. Slowly, the burning flames started to move towards her hand. All the flames turned back into a red ball of energy that now Sailor Mars controlled.

Azariah was laughing and laughing. She looked down into the sinkhole and noticed the flames were gone. "Huh?" She floated over the sinkhole to look, but suddenly, the red energy ball flew at her. It exploded on contact and sent her flying into the ground. She hit the ground hard, breaking her arm and hip in the process.

Sailor Mars levitated out of the sinkhole. Discovering their powers, the other Sailors managed to do the same. Soon, everyone was out of the sinkhole, and ready to fight Azariah. Azariah managed to stand up, but she was obviously in great pain. A trickle of blood dripped from her lip, her arm was completely sagged, and she was favoring only her left leg. Sailor Venus raised her hand to give Azariah some of her new power, but Tuxedo Knight reached out and put her hand down.

"What are you doing?" Sailor Venus asked. "Now is our chance!"

Tuxedo Knight shook his head. "She's already defeated. She's no threat to us now."

"We should get her before she gets us back," Tuxedo Mask suggested.

Sailor Mercury stepped forward. "She is our enemy,"

Tuxedo Knight shook his head. "And I was once your enemy!"

Sailor Mercury nodded. "You are right." She looked back to Azariah. "We don't have the right to take her life if we don't have to."

Azariah stood for a moment, listening to them deliberate about her life. She stared at them for a moment then disappeared from their sight.

* * *

After their battle, everyone had transformed back into their street clothes. They were all so excited to have unlocked their powers from the Planet Crystals. It seemed as if the past and the present were no longer a disjunction. They all had their past memories, they all had found love, and they have unlocked their new powers. However, Hayate was in a sorrowful mood. He had walked off by himself for a while, refusing to be accompanied by anyone—even Ami. While everyone else had disembarked for their homes, he had stayed in the park. Ami stayed too, but from a distance. He sat on a bench along the tree line while she sat on another bench under a lamppost in the grass. Hour after hour passed until the sun sank in the sky, and the stars had illuminated. She had almost fallen asleep on the bench when he finally came over to her.

She jolted awake at the sound of his footsteps. "Hayate," She gasped, clearly worried. She sat down next to her in silence. "Are you alright?" She asked.

He only gently nodded.

"I was so worried about you." She tried to embrace him, but he pulled away from her. Hurt washed over her face as he pulled away. Tears started to come to her eyes. "Hayate, what's wrong with you."

He looked at her, tears starting to form in his eyes. "You shouldn't be with me."

"What you mean?" She shook her head. "We've been over this. You're not one of them anymore." She looked frantic. "I love you."

His tears were heavier. "You shouldn't." He looked away from her. "You shouldn't love me."

"Why not?" He uttered, choking on her tears.

He tried to wipe his tears away. "I've done horrible things. I know I've told you already, but I've slept with Azariah…" He shook his head. "I don't know even how many times. And it wasn't just her. There were others—so many others. I don't know how many times I have been with other women."

"But, you haven't been with any of them since we've been together, and that is what counts." She put her hand over his. "That was General Kaiba." She squeezed his hand. "You are Hayate, and Hayate has never been unfaithful to me."

He shook his head. "You don't understand."

"Then tell me."

He looked over at her. "It is difficult for me to…" He trailed off and looked away, almost embarrassed.

"What?"

"I want you, and I know I shouldn't." He pulled his hand away from her. "I only want things to be pure. I don't want to treat you like some kind of object."

Ami was silent for a long time. "It is only natural when you're in love to feel that way…" She paused. "Or so I've read."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you tell me yourself that being with those other women meant nothing to you? Wasn't it just to feel something?"

"Yes," He uttered.

"Well, what do you feel now…with me?" She asked, nervously.

He looked up at her. "I love you," He blurted out. "I just want to be with you for the rest of my life."

She nodded. "That sounds completely different to me."

He was silent. She grabbed his hand again. "I've never told anyone this, but it's difficult for me too." She blushed. "I want you too." She paused for a moment. "I dream about the day that I marry you quite often."

"Marry me?" He looked over at her.

She nodded, blushing deeply. "The day that I'm yours forever; the day I give myself to you," She whispered to him. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes, feeling comfort rush into his soul. "I love you, Ami-chan. Please know I only want to think of you purely."

She nodded her head gently. "I know."


	25. Child from the Sky

**Chapter Twenty Five**

**Child from the Sky**

She ran and ran until it felt like she could run no more. Her sides ached, and her throat was on fire. She had to keep running. There was no escape. They were after her—so many close calls. Her legs were scratched up from their long nails. Her clothes were torn to shreds and soaking wet from the rivers she swam through. She could hardly go on.

It was a very dark night. It was difficult to see where she was going. Frequently, she would trip, scraping up her knees, or stumble over something. She glanced behind her. The creatures weren't far behind. She couldn't see them, but occasionally their red eyes would flash in the darkness. They never grew tired, and they never gave up. They had been chasing her for hours. There was only one thing she could do.

* * *

Beryl stood over the pool with a wide smirk on her face. She had discovered the future. She watched as her demonic minions chased the young girl through tall pillars of crystal and streets of pure diamond. She would destroy the very thing that was prophesied to destroy her.

* * *

The young girl, recognizing where she was in the city, made a right turn. It was a daring plan, but it would be her only means of escape. She thought of her family for a moment, wishing they were alright, but she had no idea what had happened to them. The creatures attacked the palace, and her mother made her run and never look back. She looked back, only to see her mother engulfed by the creatures. It was only terror that kept her running.

In the middle of the city was a very tall building made of crystal of course. There was a large staircase that led up into the building. Tiredly, she hiked up the stairs. The creatures had followed her. Once she reached the top of the stairs, she looked back and saw the creatures in the light. They were black creatures that looked like ogres with long nails and teeth. She looked forward and kept running. In the middle of the interior of the building was a long pillar of light raising up from the floor. She took a deep breath and ran towards the light. She jumped into the light and disappeared.

* * *

It was the middle of the night. She was sleeping peacefully like everyone else. She had left her blinds rolled up. She liked to fall asleep looking at the stars and the moon. She never used to like to do that. Everything about the Moon Kingdom felt painful, but now, knowing who she was, it was her destiny. As she slept peacefully, a meteor dashed through the sky. A quick streak of blue, purple, pink, and white trailed through then crashed into the ground. It was close. The ground rumbled gently, but not forceful enough to wake anyone up except for two people.

She fluttered her eyes open. She immediately sat up and looked out her window. Even though she didn't see it, it was like she knew exactly what had happened. She kicked the covers off, got out of bed, and tried to find some appropriate clothing. She grabbed her sneakers and a hooded sweatshirt and left the room. She stepped out onto the deck and saw a flashlight turn on. Kyoji was awake too. She ran up to him. "Did you feel that?"

He nodded then looked out to the sky. "Yeah, I think it landed in the back property." He strung his katana over his shoulder.

"Alright, let's go." They immediately started charging towards the grassy fields behind the Cherry Hill Temple. They discussed what it could be, but they had no idea.

Raye zipped up her hooded sweatshirt. Wanting to be careful with her crystal necklace, she tucked it on the inside of her shirt. "Were you awake or asleep when you felt it?"

"Asleep."

She nodded. "Me too. This must be something pretty big then."

They tromped through the grassy fields for a few minutes only with the flashlight guiding their way. Kyoji stopped suddenly. He shut off the flashlight and peered through the darkness.

"What is it?" She whispered.

He didn't answer.

* * *

They followed her. She didn't think they could, but they did. She crashed landed into this place, and they were shortly behind her. Again, she had to run, except this time it was much harder through the field of tall grass with its dips and holes. She could barely stand it anymore. Her legs were dripping with blood. Her body was tired, cold, and numb. She couldn't breathe anymore. She trudged on a few more feet, but caught her foot in a dip. She fell to her knees and as quickly surrounded by the creatures.

The tears that she was constantly crying were now able to flow gently down her cheeks. It was silent in the field, but her heart thumped so hard, she swore she could her it audibly. She gulped and looked around. It looked like only maybe five or six followed her compared to the twenty that were after her earlier. Hundreds of these creatures had attacked the palace. She thought of her family, and closed her eyes.

The young girl fluttered her eyes open. Fire balls surrounded her, but they all hit the creatures that surrounded her. Next, flashes of a blade in the faint light appeared, striking all of the creatures dead. Seeing her chance, she got up and started running through the fields.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Raye yelled.

She didn't look back—she was too frightened. Suddenly, a dark figure appeared before her standing with a blade. She turned around. The second warrior was behind her. Frantically, she looked around, tears coming to her eyes. She ran forward and punched Raye in the face. Raye grabbed her swollen eye. Kyoji continued to chase the girl while Raye followed short behind.

Knowing they were following her, she quickly ducked down into the grass. When Kyoji approached, she popped up and kicked him in the face. Raye started to catch up so the girl ran off into the woods. Being taller and older, Raye managed to come within inches of the young girl. Finally, Raye leapt forward and grabbed the girl in her arms. They both collapsed to the ground.

"Let me go! Let me go!" The young girl screamed.

"Just hold on! Stop squirming!" Raye yelled. "Calm down!"

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" The girl squirmed harder and harder, trying to roll away from Raye. The two of them ended up rolling down a small hill. Raye managed to dominate the fight, and when they landed at the bottom, she was on top. Raye shoved the girl down hard into the ground, pressing her weight against her.

The clouds that covered the moon finally unveiled the light. The darkest of the forest was soon illuminated, and the face of her attacker was revealed. Raye lay over top of her, but kept her head up to see the girl. Raye studied the girl's face—she was terrified. She looked familiar, but she didn't know who it was. Dangling above the stranger's face, the small crystal of Raye's necklace had fallen out of her sweatshirt. Both Raye and the girl locked eyes on the dangling crystal. Raye felt it now. She knew who this girl was.

The girl was weak and tired. She passed out. Moments later, Kyoji ran up huffing and puffing. He came over to Raye. Raye backed off the body of the girl then sat on her knees next to the girl's body. Kyoji looked at the girl.

"What in the world?" He uttered.

Raye looked up at him. She had never seen him so shocked in his entire life. "What?" She asked.

Kyoji stared at the girl's body. "She looks just like you."

Raye grabbed a hold of her crystal and showed Kyoji. "Do you know what this is?"

He looked at it. "No,"

Raye looked back to the body of the girl then looked back over at Kyoji. "I think she's our daughter."

* * *

"Easy now," Raye uttered while Kyoji laid the girl's body into Raye's bed. He gently cradled her head into the pillow then covered her body up with a blanket. Raye walked over to her desk lamp and turned it on, giving the room a dim light.

Kyoji stood back from the bed while Raye kneeled down at the side of the bed. She took the hand of the girl and brushed the locks of hair from the girl's eyes.

"She looks just like you," He uttered again. He watched Raye tenderly look over the girl's body. At first he didn't believe that this girl was Raye's daughter, but by just seeing the way Raye interacted with this girl, he believed it now. "How do you know she's your daughter?"

Raye kept her eyes on the girl. "Queen Serenity told me that I was pregnant when I died." Raye looked back to Kyoji. "She saved our baby, Kyoji."

Kyoji kneeled down next to the bed too. He looked at the face of the young girl. Now looking closely, there were some differences between Raye's face and the girls. Raye pulled back the black bangs on the girl's forehead. There was the symbol of the Moon Kingdom. He rarely cried, but this was a time that made his eyes tear up. He looked back to Raye. "This girl was our unborn child?"

Raye nodded. "Yes, I can feel it." She clenched the crystal.

Kyoji pondered for a moment. "What do you think happened to her? She's got scratches everywhere."

Raye shook her head. "I don't know. The poor thing was frightened to death."

Kyoji rubbed his jaw. "Well, if she's my daughter, she's grounded for kicking me in the face."

Raye faintly laughed and rested her head against Kyoji's shoulder while they watched the girl sleep.

* * *

Raye had cleaned and dressed her wounds, put her in new clothes, and watched over her. The girl had slept all through the remaining night, and almost into the next night. While the girl was sleeping, Raye had contacted the Sailor Scouts and explained what had happened, but unfortunately the girl did not awake. It wasn't until it was almost time to go to bed the next night did the girl start to stir. Raye knelt to the side of the bed and held the hand of the girl. Soon, the girl fluttered her eyes open. Immediately, she screamed and tried to kick away from Raye.

"It's alright!" Raye held her hands up.

"Who are you?" The girl asked, pressed against the wall and standing on the bed.

"My name is Raye."

The girl froze. "Raye?"

Raye nodded. "Yes, Raye. What is your name?"

The girl was silent for a moment. "How do I know if you're not with the Negaverse?"

"I'm not."

"Then why are you calling yourself my mother's name?"

"I am your mother."

The girl was even more terrified. "Impossible!"

"Go ahead, ask me anything."

The girl crossed her arms. "Fine! What is your blood type?"

"AB," Raye answered.

"Favorite animal?"

"Panda."

The girl pondered for a moment. "What's my father's favorite food?"

"That would be plain old kushiyaki with steamed rice."

The girl lowered her defenses. She sat down on the bed. "What is your favorite thing about my father?"

Raye smiled. "He unconditionally loves me."

The girl pondered for a moment. "You are my mother."

Raye leaned forward, taking the girl's hand into her own. "What is your name?"

"Tsukiyama Sakura." She bowed her head.

Raye smiled. "I gave you my mother's name."

Sakura nodded. "Yes."

"How did you get here?"

Sakura started to cry. "Those creatures attacked the palace. My mother…well…you…told me to run. I ran, but those creatures kept chasing me. I leapt into the time vortex and ended up here." She started to sob. "I don't know if my family is okay or not."

Out of her character and nature, Raye immediately reached out and took the child into her arms. Sakura instantly melted into Raye's arms and started sobbing heavily.

"Hush," Raye petted Sakura's hair. "I'm sure everything is alright. They will be okay."

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes. After a while, the door slid open and Kyoji walked in. He dropped his empty cup on the floor, and stared at the girl.

Raye looked up at Kyoji. "Kyoji, come and meet your daughter."

He walked over to the bed and kneeled down. She reached out for him, strangely putting her hand on his face.

"You don't have your scar," She said.

"My scar?" He questioned.

She pulled her hand away, and put her hand over her left eye. "Yes, you have a scar over your left eye."

He pondered silently for a moment then looked back to the girl. "What is your name?"

"Tsukiyama Sakura."

Kyoji smiled and looked at Raye. "After your mother." His smile grew even larger. "With my last name." This was his child, and he was proud of the fact. He looked over his daughter. She was almost exactly like her mother except with shorter hair and the Moon symbol.

"How old are you?" Kyoji asked.

"Fourteen." She looked at her parents. "How old are you?"

"I'm eighteen, almost nineteen."

The girl snuggled back into Raye's embrace. Her eyes started to droop again. "I'm really tired."

"Are you hungry?" Kyoji asked.

She shook her head. "I'm just too tired to eat."

Raye got up and shifted off the bed. "You should get some sleep then." She grabbed the blankets and tucked Sakura into the bed. The girl smiled, but quickly drifted back to sleep before she could say anything.

Kyoji put his arm around Raye as they watched Sakura go back to sleep.

* * *

They watched on as she inhaled a stack of French toast. She was a skinny girl, but she was able to eat almost five whole pieces of toast, two apples, and drink three glasses of juice. Kyoji and Raye stared in amazement while they ate their breakfast.

Sakura looked up from her toast. "What?" She asked, syrup dripping from her lips.

Raye shook her head. "You remind me of Serena."

"Aunt Serenity?" Sakura questioned.

Kyoji looked surprised for a moment. "Yes, I suppose Serena would be your Aunt, wouldn't she?"

Sakura nodded. "Everyone says I got my appetite from her." She looked back to her breakfast. "Apparently all the women on father's side of the family eat like this."

Kyoji and Raye laughed. It was too true. The door bell rang. "That's probably her now." Raye got up and left the room. Kyoji and Sakura ate in silence for a few minutes. He looked up at her, not knowing exactly what to say. It was extremely awkward to see his daughter—especially his daughter with Raye Hino. He and Raye had just barely just started a relationship, and now they were eating breakfast with their future child.

The girl put her fork down and sat silently for a few moments. "So you're still in High school?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yes, last year."

She nodded back. "This is my first year."

Kyoji picked up his orange juice. "What do you study?"

"Oh, lots of things: music, art, history, science, literature, language, geography, mathematics, computers, diplomacy, and of course, there's Sailor training."

"That sounds like a lot."

"It is, but father…you…say it's my duty as a Princess of Mars," She sighed for a moment. "I don't feel very normal sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "All the waving and the bowing and the parties. You know, all the royal stuff." She stared at her breakfast. "Mom and Dad just don't understand." He looked up at him for a moment and shook her head. "Just forget it."

Raye walked back into the kitchen with the other Sailors following behind her. They all stared at the girl. She did look exactly like her mother except her hair only went to her shoulder blades. She had her father's Moon Symbol, and she had her Aunt's appetite. Sakura stood up from the table and bowed. "Your Majesty."

Serena looked around then realized that the girl was bowing to her. "You don't have to do that. I'm just Serena."

Sakura looked up. "You're Neo-Queen Serenity."

"You really are from the future," Lita stepped forward. She reacted out and put her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "What can you tell us about the future?"

"Yes, where are you from, and how did you get here?" Mina asked.

Ami nodded. "All the information you can could benefit us greatly."

Sakura nodded her head. "Sure, I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Let's have tea first."

They moved out of the kitchen into the tea room. Raye served everyone green tea, and they circled around Sakura. Sakura sat silently for a few moments sipping her tea.

"So…" Mina spoke up first. "Who do I get married to?" She giggled.

Sakura sat her cup down. "Don Diego of Venus. You have two children."

"I have two children?" Mina gasped. "What are their names?"

"Marco and Gabriella."

Mina sighed. "That's wonderful."

"What about me?" Lita piped up.

"And me!" Serena exclaimed.

"It would be very interesting to know," Ami added.

"Let the girl talk, gosh!" Raye exclaimed. Raye took a seat next to her daughter.

"Well, Lita you have three children: Shiro, Kaede, and Akira." Sakura looked to Ami. "Shun and Ayeka are your children." She turned to Serena. "Your majesty, you have Princess Rini as your only child."

"How about your family?" Lita asked. "Do you have brothers and sisters, Sakura?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, I have two brothers and three sisters."

"What?" Raye jerked her head towards Sakura.

"Six children?" Kyoji stammered.

Mina laughed. "Looks like someone's been busy in the future."

Sakura slightly blushed while Kyoji and Raye did the same. Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "I'm the oldest."

"Six children?" Kyoji gulped.

"Anyway, what is Crystal Tokyo like?" Lita asked.

Sakura leaned back against Raye just like she would against her mother. Raye looked a little shocked and uncomfortable, but felt at ease as the girl perfectly fit against her. "Crystal Tokyo is beautiful. I've been all over the universe, but Crystal Tokyo is the most beautiful place of them all. It's been peaceful and prosperous up until now."

"What happened?" Ami asked.

"Those creatures attacked the palace." She shook her head. "I don't know what they wanted. My mother tried to hide me." Tears came to her eyes again. "I don't know if she's okay. I don't know about my father or brothers and sisters.

Raye gripped her crystal necklace. "This is all so strange. Who attacked in the future to make Sakura come here and now?"

Sakura looked around. "I don't understand."

"We've been dealing with the Negaverse. Queen Beryl is alive. She was looking for the Moon Prince, and she's been trying to kill Raye," Lita said.

"Wait a minute," Kyoji raised his hand.

"What?" Raye looked over at him.

Kyoji pondered for a moment. "She wanted me, and she wanted Raye. Why would she want us both?" He put his hand on his chin and looked over at Sakura. "You must have some sort of connection to all this."

"What?" Sakura asked.

Kyoji shook his head. "I don't know."

* * *

Beryl stood watching at her pool. She grinned widely. The child was in the present and even more vulnerable. Beryl looked into the darkness. "Ryujin, come forth."

Out of the darkness came a shadowy figure in the shape of a dragon. It morphed into the shape of a human boy with black hair and black eyes. Beryl smiled. "Go, kill her."

The boy smirked then nodded.


	26. A Crush

**Chapter Twenty Six**

**A Crush**

He sat on the deck of the Cherry Hill Temple gently strumming his guitar. He practiced the strum patterns carefully as he watched his fingers change chords. He braced himself. To form the A/C# chord, he would have to put his middle and ring finger in the second fret and stretch his pinky all the way to the fourth fret. He messed up, and a horrible sound came from the guitar. He sighed and threw his arms down. He had been practicing for weeks now, and his fingers still couldn't move like he wanted them too. Frustrated, he tried again but came up with the same results.

"What are you playing?"

Kyoji looked up. Sakura stood on the deck looking over the music sheets that were spread out.

"I'm not really playing." He looked down at the guitar. "I just can't seem to get it right."

"Can I play?"

Kyoji shrugged his shoulders. He held up the guitar, and she took it from him. She sat down on the deck and started to play the same song with ease. She didn't even need to look at her fingers or the music—she just played, and when it came time for the A/C# chord, she formed it perfectly.

He was stunned and outshined all in the same moment. He couldn't believe that she could move her fingers so fast and so perfectly. "Where did you learn to play like that?" He almost gasped.

She stopped playing and rested her arms over the guitar. She faintly smiled. "From you."

"From me?" He put his hand over his forehead in wonder. "You mean I actually get good at it?"

She nodded fervently. "Yeah, you're the best." She continued to play again. "You taught me everything I know about playing guitar."

Kyoji sat in silence as he listened to Sakura play beautifully.

* * *

The girl walked around the house carrying a glass of water. She was told to make herself at home, but it felt strange. Raye's Grandfather was especially nice to her, thinking that she was one of Raye's distant cousins or something to that effect. The past and Crystal Tokyo were nothing alike. The past felt primitive, dark, and somewhat scary to her. Nothing was familiar looking about the city to her at all. The only thing remotely familiar was seeing her parents—well, the younger version of them anyway. They almost seemed to be completely different people. Sure, she loved her parents, but they were very strict about her duties as a Princess. It was almost liberating and refreshing to meet her parents at a time when they were young and not declared royalty.

Sakura looked up at the sound of footsteps. Her future mother came into the room and stopped. "Sakura, the Outer Sailors are here. They would like to see you."

Sakura nodded. "Alright." She followed Raye through the house towards the tea room. The faint noise of the Sailors talking poured out into the hallway. They all fell silent at the sight of the girl from the future.

"Remarkable," Michelle uttered.

"Pluto, did you know anything about this?"

Trista shook her head. "I'm no longer Sailor Pluto. My senses are not acute anymore."

Sakura looked over at Trista. In Trista's arms was her little boy wrapped in blankets. Sakura gingerly stepped towards Kanejiro and Trista. "Is that Kazuki?" Her face turned bright red.

Trista nodded. "Yes, it is. You know him in the future?"

The girl's face grew redder. "Yes."

Raye looked over at Sakura, studying her face deeply for a moment while Sakura stood before Trista.

"Would you like to hold him?" Kanejiro suggested.

"Well…uh…I…" Sakura's whole face turned bright red, but before she could resist, Kanejiro took the baby from Trista and put him into Sakura's arms.

Embarrassed, she looked up at everyone staring at her then looked back down at the baby. The child snuggled into his blankets deeply, revealing the thin trace of green hair that he had—just like his mother's hair.

"Anyway, what can you tell us about the future?" Amara asked.

Sakura sat down with the boy in her arms, and started to answer questions.

* * *

By herself now, Sakura walked around the gardens of the Cherry Hill Temple. She weaved through the bamboo patches, stopped to examine the buds of the cherry blossoms, and would occasionally dip her feet into the cool waters. She treaded slowly while pondering over many thoughts and feelings she had.

"Can I join you?"

Sakura turned around. Raye stood behind her in her miko uniform. Sakura nodded, and the Priestess came up to Sakura. They started to walk together slowly.

"So tell me about your life in Crystal Tokyo?"

Sakura shrugged. "There isn't much to say. I go to school, I train as a Sailor Scout, and I live with my family."

"Well, who are your friends?"

"The other Sailors' children mostly. I'm pretty good friends with Ayeka, and sometimes Gabriella and Rini get on my nerves, but they are my friends."

Raye nodded and walked on silently for a moment. She smirked widely. "Any boyfriends?"

Sakura stopped. "No!" She turned her head away to hide her beating red face. "What makes you say that?"

"Come now, lying to you mother has got to be one of the worst things a person could do. Now tell me. What's going on?"

"Nothing is going on!"

Raye grinned even wider. "Someone likes Kazuki Meioh!"

Sakura jerked her head back, glowing bright red. "I do not!"

Raye cocked an eyebrow.

Sakura looked to her feet. "I do."

"Well," Raye smiled. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Sakura looked up, facial expression completely saddened. "He barely knows I exist. He never looks at me, talks to me, or anything else."

"Why?" Raye looked sad.

Sakura shrugged. "He never talks to anyone. He's such a loner."

"Have you ever tried talking to him?"

Sakura nodded solemnly. "Yes, and he never says anything. He might occasionally look at me when I'm talking, but that's about it." She let out a deep sigh. "He hates me."

"Oh, I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

Just like her mother, she hated to cry. Gentle drops of tears started to roll down her face, but she quickly tried to wipe them up and hide them from her mother.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Raye asked so gently, it even surprised herself.

The girl gripped onto her future mother, startling her mother in the process, and squeezed the miko's waist. Raye gasped in surprise from the squeeze, but took the girl into her embrace. By now, the girl was sobbing heavily. "He doesn't even notice me. Nobody ever notices me. I mean, Rini's the future Queen, Gabriella is the outgoing one, Ayeka is so smart, and Kaede is the strongest…" Sakura trailed off. "Why would he want me?"

"He'd be crazy not to want you."

Sakura shook her head and looked up at her mother. "I'm a nobody."

* * *

It was quiet that night in the Temple. She was supposed to be asleep, but she couldn't sleep at all that night. She sat out on the deck by herself staring at the stars. She looked up at the moon. In her time, the Moon Kingdom had been reestablished, and she had been there many times. Not only was she Princess of Mars, she was also a Princess of the Moon Kingdom. The central capital of the Golden Millennium, the time of Crystal Tokyo and beyond, was of course, Crystal Tokyo. It was the most beautiful city in the entire universe. The buildings were made of pure crystal, there was no pollution, the rivers were as clear as glass, and the presence of evil was nowhere to be found—except recently.

She pulled her knees up against her chest and started to rock herself. She thought of her family again—her parents (King Kyoji and Queen Raye of Mars), her two brothers (Kenshin and Tenchi,) and her three sisters (Kikyo, Reiko, and Aoi.) Kenshin was highly skilled with swords while Tenchi was extremely intelligent and cunning. Her sister Kikyo was a skilled archer, Reiko was an avid reader and writer, and her baby sister, Aoi had the brightest blue eyes and blonde hair. Aoi looked like her Aunt Serenity. Tears came to Sakura's eyes again. She didn't know if they were dead or alive.

She heard a footstep. She looked up, but peering into the darkness, she saw nothing. She returned her eyes back to her legs, but heard the noise again. This time, she got up off the deck and walked out into the courtyard. It was very dark—the moon was only a small sliver of a crescent. She cautiously inched forward peering into the darkness. She was silent, but her heart pounded in her chest. She tried not to breathe hard, but she couldn't help it as fear gripped a hold of her. She kept moving forward.

A large hand went over her mouth! She tried to scream, but the scream was muffled. The hand covered half of her face, and it jerked her head back into its arms. Tears poured down her face and dripped on to the hands of the figure. The eyes started to glow hellfire red. It was one of the creatures that attacked her a few days ago—it was an ogre. Its nails were sharp and long just like its teeth. It was extremely odorous, and sharp bones pierced out from its skin. Its skin was pure black and its hair was a greasy color of green and red.

Sakura tried to kick and scream, but the Ogre was too strong and powerful for her. It began to squeeze her tightly. She screamed out, only to have it muffled. It felt as if every bone in her body was going to be crushed.

"Sakura!" Raye screamed out. Kyoji and Raye sensed the presence of the evil creature and ran out to attack the monster. They stopped once they saw that Sakura was in the arms of the creature.

"I will crush her bones into powder!" The Ogre growled.

"Let her go!" Kyoji hollered, unsheathing his katana.

The Ogre only squeezed tighter. The creature removed his hand from Sakura's face so they could hear the agonizing scream of the young girl. The Ogre laughed.

Sakura kept screaming until suddenly she was released. The Ogre screamed out in pain. Sakura felt to the ground gasping for air. She looked up. A dark figure was standing before the Ogre.

"Leave boy! This doesn't concern you!"

"Who is that?" Raye asked, looking at Kyoji.

Kyoji shook his head. "I don't know."

The boy was dressed in all black and a black cape went around his shoulders. His hair was a dark green and his eyes were light purple. From his hands, came three blades each. Sakura's eyes locked on him.

The Ogre paid no attention to Sakura anymore. It charged straight after the dark warrior. They quickly engaged in battle. The Ogre's long claws would strike out at the boy while the boy's blades would slash and cut at the Ogre. The Ogre was extremely strong and muscular, but the dark warrior was fast, nimble, and agile. They fought furiously against each other for a few minutes.

The fight was interrupted by a flash of blue light. Everyone turned his or her attention to the light. Out of the blue light emerged another boy. His hair was black, and his eyes were the same. He was dressed in a black kung-fu uniform. The Ogre forgot about the first boy and set his sights on the second. The new boy and the Ogre started to fight. The new boy was pushed to the side by a fling of the Ogre's arm. The first boy with the blades went to attack, but the second boy got up and pushed him out of the way. The second boy formed an energy ball of blue light and threw it at the Ogre. The Ogre was hit and it exploded.

Since the fighting was over, Kyoji and Raye ran up to Sakura and helped her to her feet. They then turned their gaze to the two strangers than fought with the Ogre. Sakura looked at the two boys. Her eyes first went to the boy with green hair. "Kazuki! What are you doing here?"

The boy stepped forward, but the second boy stepped in front of him. "My name is Ryujin."

Sakura looked puzzled. "Ryujin?"

The black haired boy, Ryujin, bowed down before Sakura. "Forgive me, Princess. I am a loyal subject from Crystal Tokyo. I saw you being chased into the time portal. I followed you to ensure your protection."

She nodded. "Thank you, Ryujin. My parents will reward you greatly for such an act of bravery."

He came up on one knee and took Sakura's hand. "That will not be necessary, my lady. My reward is to know that you are safe." He kissed her hand.

Sakura blushed. "Yes, thank you."

Silently, Kazuki walked past everyone and charged off into the darkness. His face was stern and stoic, and his eyes distant and cold. Sakura looked over at him. "Kazuki, wait!" She hollered, but he didn't stop for her.

"Who is that?" Kyoji asked.

Sakura sighed solemnly. "Kazuki."

"Why is he here?" Raye asked.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know."

* * *

Apparently, the boy named Kazuki spent the night on the roof. He was found up there early that morning, and he remained there for hours into the day. He merely sat on the highest point of the temple and gazed over the landscape. The other boy, Ryujin, spent the night in the temple. He ate breakfast with Kyoji, Raye, and Sakura. He was sociable, clever, and very charming. Frequently, he would be caught gazing at Sakura or smiling at her. She found herself smiling more and more at him too.

"Ryujin, do you have family in Crystal Tokyo?" Raye asked.

He shook his head. "No, I am a poor orphan boy."

Sakura's eyes saddened. "That's terrible."

He nodded, trying not to smirk. "Yes, yes it is." He looked away. "I am very lonely without family." He turned back to Sakura. "But perhaps someday there will be someone special in my life."

She felt a little uneasy and nervous. She turned back to her breakfast and started eating again.

"Is there something wrong?" Raye asked, looking at Sakura. "You've barely eaten your quota for the day."

"Yeah, you're only on your second pancake," Kyoji agreed.

Sakura sighed and fiddled with her fork. "It's nothing."

Raye pondered for a moment. "Do you think your friend, Kazuki, would want anything for breakfast?"

Sakura shrugged. "I don't know."

Before they could finish talking, the boy was already standing in the kitchen door. He was still stern and fierce looking. He took off his black cape revealing his strong muscular arms and black clothing. He wore black boots, black pants, and a black sleeveless shirt. His hair was dark green with wild locks, but his eyes were a light and gentle purple.

"Are you hungry, Kazuki?" Raye asked.

"When will my parents be here?" He asked, voice very even and emotionless.

"I called them fifteen minutes ago. I assume they'll be here within the hour."

He nodded then left the room.

As Raye predicted, Kanejiro and Trista arrived at the temple within the hour. They could hardly believe their eyes as they saw the little boy they had in their arms grow up into the strong young man that stood before them. He looked like his mother and even had the personality she had before she was married, but the boy had his father's powers of metal. They marveled at their grown son.

"How did you get here?" Kanejiro asked.

"The time portal," He uttered flatly.

"But why?" Trista asked.

The boy didn't answer. While interacting with their son, they realized more of who he was and his personality. They decided not to push the issue, but instead, marveled at their son.

After a while, Kazuki took off from the house and went outside. The adults let him go without a word, but a few minutes later, Sakura snuck outside and tried to find him. She walked around the temple for at least twenty minutes before spotting him. He was on a rock gazing over the courtyard. It always seemed like looking at things was his favorite hobby. She didn't understand how he could sit for hours by himself just thinking about stuff.

She causally walked around trying to get him to notice her, but he never looked her way. After a few moments, she walked over to the rock and leaned against the side far away from him. She stood their silent for a few moments then looked over at him. "So, Kazuki, how are you?"

He didn't answer.

Sakura let out a nervous laugh. "I guess I'll take that as a fine." She looked around. "What do you think of the past?" She looked over at him. "It's really something, isn't it?"

Again, he didn't look at her or even acknowledge her presence.

"Sakura!"

The girl looked up. The black haired boy walked up to the rock where Kazuki and Sakura were. "Sakura, I've been looking for you."

"Looking for me?"

Ryujin nodded. "Yes, I was wondering if you would accompany me on a walk."

"Sure, I guess." Her stomach growled. (She was just like her Aunt.) "After lunch?"

"After lunch would be perfect," He said.

Kazuki got up off the rock and started to walk away. His light purple eyes glanced over at Ryujin and Sakura then quickly they returned forward.

"What's with him?" Ryujin asked.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know."

"Well, come on. It's time for lunch." He grabbed a hold of Sakura's hand, making her blush, and let her into the house. Everyone silently took notice of what seemed to be a new forming couple, but they didn't say anything. As she set the table, Raye looked over at the two but shook her head and didn't say anything.


	27. The Delicate Cherry Blossom

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

**The Delicate Cherry Blossom**

He sat quietly on the floor with a large smirk on his face. He rubbed a small dagger against a whet stone. It was almost too easy for him, but he still relished the thought of running the blade through her body. He was the very definition of evil—evil incarnate. Within the flattery and sweet talk was nothing but treachery and deceit, but that was what made it so sweet. He would weave his webs of lies then entrap her like a little fly only to devour her. He sharpened the blade, stroking it against the stone sitting only in the silence. He looked up, sensing her presence, and tucked the blade under his mattress.

A knock came to the door. He cleared his throat and spoke sweetly to her. "Come in." The door slowly slid open. Through the crack, one violet eye peered in on him. Half of her smile, one of her eyes, and a few locks of her hair appeared in his doorway. He smiled—she truly was a beautiful creature, but she would have to die.

"Are you ready to go to the park?" She slid the door open, revealing her entire body.

He looked over her. She was wearing make-up and an old dress of her mothers. He smirked—she was trying to impress him. Everything he was doing was working perfectly. "You look wonderful."

The girl blushed deeply. "Thank you, Ryujin."

Ryujin stood up from the floor. He walked over to the doorway and held out his arm for the lady. She took it, and he escorted her down the hallway. He was still grinning—all the lies he told her about himself were flawless and perfect. He was a master of deception. He could keep his lies as straight as the truth, and he could hide his true appearances. He marveled at himself sometimes. Even the Priestess Sailor Mars could not feel his true spirit—the spirit of evil. He almost wanted to laugh as he looked over at the girl. She thought he was an orphan from Crystal Tokyo who dreamed of having a family, but in reality he was an evil shape-shifting dragon employed by Queen Beryl.

They walked out of the temple and headed down the stone sidewalk through the courtyard. As they approached the stairs, a top of a head appeared in the distance. Wild dark green hair appeared then as they approached, they saw it was the head of Kazuki. They started to descend the stairway as he was almost finished ascending. Ryujin kept his eyes straight forward, leading Sakura down the stairs. Kazuki kept his eyes forward too, but as he passed them, his arm brushed against Sakura's. She looked up at him.

His eyes turned, locking with hers for a brief moment. As he finished passing, he tore his eyes away and looked forward again. She turned her head, trying to keep her eyes in contact with his, and watched him walk away. As she descended down the stairs with Ryujin, Kazuki disappeared from her sight.

* * *

He smiled as she stepped out of her bedroom. She closed the door behind her then turned around to see him smiling. She was dressed simply—jeans and a light sweater, but she was absolutely beautiful to him. He reached for her hand, and she took it. It was a cool day—he wore jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. They made a quick stop into the house to grab a blanket and a picnic basket.

They had the day off from school. It was the Annual Cherry Blossom festival. Everyone was going to the festival; however, they were going to be spending the day alone. With all their friends, Sailor business, and schoolwork, they rarely had time to spend alone. She had been looking forward to this day for weeks—a day she could spend alone with him.

They walked to the park carrying the blanket and basket. They met the crowds in the park doing the same thing that they were. As they weaved through the crowds, they would occasionally see people they knew—a teacher, a frequent guest to the temple, Ami and Hayate, a girl Raye knew from class. Raye gazed over the crowds. Her eyes lay on a certain brown haired boy. Kyoji looked over at what she was staring at.

"Oh,_ him_," Kyoji said, sternly.

Raye squeezed his hand tighter. "The sight of him still makes me sick sometimes."

"Do you want to leave?" His anger flared at the sight of Daita Atsuji, the boy who hurt Raye.

Raye shook her head. "Let's just go over this way." She turned and started walking the other direction. Kyoji followed her but looked back at the other boy. He secretly wished that he could punch him again.

Eventually, they found and clear space and laid out the blanket over the grass. They sat down and enjoyed the early spring day. After a while, they ended up lying down on their backs to stare up at the sky. They were a considerable distance away from everyone else, and they liked it that way. Everyone else was up close to the cherry trees to stare at their beauty, but Kyoji and Raye kept their distances from the crowd.

He had closed his eyes as the warm sun heated his body. She was doing the same. The gentle breeze tickled his face, but he didn't finch until he felt something scrape across his face. He fluttered his eyes open. A cherry blossom landed on his face. He picked up the delicate blossom in his fingers and held it up to the sky. "Sakura," He uttered gently.

Raye opened her eyes to see him holding the blossom in his hand. She smiled at the word. It was such a beautiful word to her—the beautiful blossom, her mother, and her future daughter. That little delicate blossom held a lot of meaning to her. She sighed and pondered for a moment. He sat up and handed her the blossom. "Here. You keep this."

She took it from him then looked up at him. "Are you afraid of the future sometimes?"

He nodded. "Well, yes, who isn't?"

She sighed. "I suppose."

"What's wrong?" He asked, lying back down.

"I don't know. It's just that I…" She paused. "I mean, what in the world is going on? What does Beryl want with us? Why is Sakura here? I mean, it is such a miracle that she is even alive let alone here in the present."

Kyoji nodded. "Yes, it is difficult to believe." He looked up into the sky. "Long ago and far away we loved each other on the Moon Kingdom." He looked over at her. "I was your husband, and you were my wife…" He paused. "And you were with child."

She looked over at him. "Will destiny really be kinder to us this time around?"

He stared up into the sky. "I don't know."

* * *

"They're so beautiful," Sakura uttered gazing over all the cherry trees. The cherry blossoms were one of the few things that always remained the same in throughout the ages. "I'm afraid the blossoms in Crystal Tokyo are much more beautiful, don't you think?"

"What?" Ryujin shook his head for a moment. "Ah, yes, Crystal Tokyo is much better." He looked away. The dragon had never actually been to Crystal Tokyo before. He knew very little about the place. He looked over at Sakura. "But not as beautiful as you."

Sakura flushed completely red, but didn't say anything. She looked away from the crowds towards the empty hillside. From a distance, she could see her future parents lying on their blanket ignoring the crowds.

She shifted, putting her arm around him. He let out a deep contented sigh as she snuggled against him to keep warm. He tilted his head down, rubbing against her soft black hair.

"Kyoji?"

"Hmmm?"

"What do you think of Kazuki?"

Kyoji thought for a moment. "He seems kind of moody to me."

"Well…" Raye sat up, leaning over his body as he lay on the ground. "…your daughter likes him."

"Does she?" He sounded a little surprised. "By the way it looks to me she's been taking to that Ryujin the last few days."

"That's another thing. What do you think about Ryujin?"

Kyoji shrugged. "I don't know what to think."

Raye sighed for a moment. "I didn't tell you this, but when we saw Daita earlier, I had a vision."

Kyoji sat up. "A vision?" He asked, very concerned.

She kept his arms on him. "When I saw Daita, an image of Ryujin flashed before my eyes." She shook her head. "I don't know why it happened, but something inside me tells me not to trust him."

"Don't you think that if he was evil, we'd notice by now?"

Raye pondered. "I can't read him. It's like he isn't good or evil. I just feel this neutral haze."

"Well, I don't feel anything, you don't feel anything, and Hayate didn't sense anything either." Kyoji put his arm around Raye. "We three are the most discerning of us all, and we aren't feeling anything."

Raye nodded. "I suppose you're right."

* * *

He sat upon the rock silently for hours. His face was expressionless and emotionless. His eyes would lazily draw back and forth around the landscape. His elbow was pressed against his knee, and his fist against his cheek. He would barely move, only to breathe. The gentle wind fluttered his green locks of hair across his face, while his black cape flapped behind him.

He stared hard into a swallow pool of water. Suddenly, a delicate cherry blossom landed in the water and floated gently along the surface of the water. He stared hard at the little blossom for a few moments then slid down off the rock and left.

* * *

Night had fallen. High in the sky, the tiny rockets that were shot off exploded into vast colors of gold, pink, green, blue, purple, red, and every other color imaginable. High above them, the stars twinkled brightly, shining down from heaven. The moon was brighter now that it was returning. The cool breeze gently scraped across her skin. She looked over at him—he was watching the fireworks.

After a few moments, he noticed her staring. She smiled. "I've never been so happy in my entire life," She whispered in his ear. He rolled over to his side, touched her chin, and kissed his future wife.

He broke away for a moment. She gripped onto him tightly. "Don't ever leave me."

He looked a little shocked. "I won't."

She buried her face into his chest and hugged him. He was still confused, but he hugged her back.

* * *

Most of the crowds had cleared from the park. It was virtually empty as they walked through the park that night. He held her hand tightly. "Sakura, I want to show you something."

"Okay," She uttered sweetly.

He smiled has he led her away. He was going to use the dagger, but that was too common—too simple. He had a much more sinister plan that would make her suffer. Taking her through a small patch of trees, he led her into a more secluded area of the park. After a few moments of walking, he led her to a place where there was a tiny lake within the trees. It was beautiful as the moon reflected against the waters. Sakura walked up to the edge. "How did you know about this place, Ryujin? It's beautiful!"

"I asked where a good spot would be," He lied.

"A good spot for what?" She asked.

He took her by the wrist, smiling, and slowly pulled her close to himself. Her heart skipped a beat. Nervously she bit her bottom lip ten moistened her lips. It was the moment every girl waited for—her first kiss. She shivered as Ryujin put his hands on her shoulders, leaning in closer. His lips were ready, but what she didn't know was his mouth was full of poison.

* * *

Raye laid in his arms with her eyes closed. Kyoji was almost asleep too until she suddenly fluttered her eyes open and jerked away. "Sakura!" Her senses were screaming at her.

* * *

Gently, she stretched her neck out, wanting to receive his lips. His hand went up to her cheek. It was almost there.

"Get away from her!" A fire flew down from the shadows. Sakura glanced up, seeing the moon light reflect off of flashing metal. Ryujin held out his hand. A blue shield of energy blocked the attacker and sent the attacker flying into a tree. Sakura tried to jerk away from Ryujin's grasp, but he pulled her back. He jerked her up against his body and sunk her into a kiss. She couldn't push back, and she couldn't move. Hot liquid poured into her mouth. A numbing pain shot into her stomach and quickly through her limbs. She finally fell backwards. He let her go. Her body collapsed to the ground.

"SAKURA!"

She lay on the ground, tears forming in her eyes. All she could see was the trees towering above her, and the blurry light of the stars. Suddenly, a face appeared before her eyes. The forming tears rolled down her face, making her vision more clear. She had never seen any facial expression from him let alone this one. He was terrified. It was the last thing she saw when she closed her eyes. "Kazuki," She uttered gently.

He screamed, louder and more painfully than anyone had ever heard before or will ever hear again.

Ryujin started to laugh. By this time, Kyoji and Raye had found the scene.

"Sakura!" Kyoji ran over to the girl. "What happened?" He picked the girl up in his arms. Ryujin kept laughing. Kazuki stood up and looked behind him at Ryujin.

"You!" Raye shook with anger. "I should have known better than to trust you!"

Ryujin smirked. "Yes, you should have trusted your apparitions."

"What did you do to her?" Kyoji screamed. She shook Sakura's lifeless body.

"Poisoned her," Ryujin smirked.

"You're a monster!" Raye hollered.

Ryujin laughed even more. "Quite right you are, my dear Princess of Mars." Before their eyes, he started shape-shifting back into a dragon.

Instantly, Kyoji transformed into Tuxedo Samurai. He was ready to charge forward, but Kazuki beat him to the charge. The black dragon and Kazuki clashed in battle. Raye had taken the lifeless Sakura into her arms and tried to wake the girl up. It was to no avail. As much as Raye shook her, the girl would not wake up. Now Tuxedo Samurai and Kazuki were tag teaming the Dragon, but the Dragon's strength was too powerful. Immediately, Raye transformed into Sailor Mars to help defeat the enemy. Soon, there were three warriors attacking the Dragon.

With his long claws, Ryujin struck out at Kazuki. Across Kazuki's back, three long claws dug into his flesh and scratched him. Kazuki screamed from the pain. The claws also were a catalyst of the deadly poison that Ryujin controlled. The boy fell to his knees coughing and choking. Sailor Mars dropped to the ground, wrapping her arms around the boy. She tried to pull him away from the fight to keep him from getting trampled. Tuxedo Samurai was left to duel with the Dragon.

Tuxedo Knight and Sailor Mercury came running onto the scene. Combining their powers, Sailor Mercury called upon a water attack while Tuxedo Knight used his powers of Ice to freeze her attack. The attack stunted Ryujin for a moment, but it wasn't powerful enough to immobilize him. While Ryujin was busy with the ice attack, Tuxedo Samurai stabbed him in the back. The Dragon howled greatly, flailing his arms everywhere. He immediately turned around and started venting his anger on Tuxedo Samurai. With one great swat, Tuxedo Samurai was hit over the head. He fell to the ground.

"KYOJI!" Sailor Mars screamed. She ran over to Ryujin, but the Dragon stretched out his hand and created a force-field. With his claws, Ryujin grabbed a hold of Tuxedo Samurai's jacket and raised him above the ground.

Sailor Mercury and Tuxedo Knight tried to charge, but they were also blocked. Before Sailor Mars could get back up, Ryujin evaporated into the air with Tuxedo Samurai. Sailor Mars leapt at the fading image of the Dragon and Tuxedo Samurai, but missed and felt into the dirt. Kyoji was gone. The Negaverse had taken him. Sakura and Kazuki were poisoned. On her knees and covered in dirt, she started to sob madly. It appeared that fate would be just as cruel as it was the last time.

* * *

"Quickly! Lay her down!" Hayate carried Sakura into Raye's bedroom and laid her down in the bed. Immediately Ami started examining her. Her skin was starting to turn a faint green color. Next, Hayate helped the half-conscious Kazuki into the bedroom and laid him down on the floor. Apparently, Kazuki was exposed to much less poison than Sakura since he was somewhat conscious and still breathing normally. Sakura, on the other hand, was turning colors and struggling to breathe normally.

Soon the other Sailor Scouts arrived. Kanejiro and Trista immediately went to the care of their son's back by cleaning and dressing his wounds. Hayate and Ami watched over Sakura's breathing.

Hayate watched the young girl somberly. "It's shutting down her body, isn't it?"

Ami nodded silently.

"Will she live?" He asked.

Ami was still silent for a while. "I hate to think the worse, but I'm afraid Sakura's body might be just too delicate to handle the poison." She checked Sakura's pulse. "How is Kazuki?"

From the other room, a scream emerge. She had her answer. His mother and father worked on cleaning the deep scratches from the nails of the Dragon. "He should be alright," Hayate uttered. "He'll just be in a lot of pain for a while."

Ami looked towards the doorway. It was cracked open slightly, revealing the night. She pondered for a moment. "Is Raye alright?" She wondered to herself.

The raven haired girl sat silently on the rock in the middle of the courtyard. Her face was dirty and disgusting from dried tears. She sat there, almost numb.

"Raye?"

She didn't move.

"Raye, are you alright?" Serena asked. Serena walked up to her friend and took a seat next to her. "Raye, please."

Raye didn't move for a while, but after a few moments, slowly the girl reached out for Serena. Serena took her friend into her embrace, and the raven-haired girl started to sob.

"Raye, I'm so sorry." Serena uttered, not knowing what to say.


	28. King of the Negaverse

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

**King of the Negaverse**

She smirked as his screams echoed through the courtroom of the Negaverse. She sat on her throne, stroking the dark crystal that she always carried with her. Soon would the time was coming where Crystal Tokyo would be in her hands. His screams tickled her ears with delight. Fairly soon the Moon Prince's possession and brainwashing would be finished, and he would be ready to take his place as King of the Negaverse.

She was completely enthralled with him and now he was to be her King. There were no worries. Now that she had the Moon Prince, it would be her that would conceive an heir to the Crystal Tokyo instead of the girl that was destined to destroy her. She relished in the fact that the girl would have disappeared from history by now.

Beryl had thrown Kyoji into the Pit—the place that spirits would possess their victims. It was painful and excruciating torture. To make sure he wouldn't revert like Kanejiro did, Beryl was leaving him in there longer and allowing more evil spirits to possess him. The tortured scream echoed throughout the Negaverse.

* * *

She laid there in the darkness and silence, but could somehow hear the tortured screams of her loved one. She gripped her pillow hard as the screams echoed through her head. Tears poured down her face. Why did these things always have to happen? Couldn't there be any happiness or peace in her life? Was she destined to unhappiness for the rest of her life? She had found him—her one true love, and now he was gone. His scream throbbed through her heart and mind again. She screamed out loud herself, sitting up in her bed.

Her heart thumped in her chest. Putting her hand over her chest, she tried to calm herself down, but the cold sweat weakened her body. She gave a deep sigh. She had to stay strong. She had to hope for the best despite the fact that Kyoji was gone and Sakura was dying. Gripping onto her crystal necklace, she prayed for strength then got up out of bed.

* * *

Nobody was ever quite sure when he slept. He always seemed to be up during the late hours of the night. He sat outside in the cold night staring up at the stars. His over his back and chest were wrapped white bandages for his scratches. He was advised against moving, but he hated to be confined to one place. After a while of sitting alone in the darkness, he slowly got up from the rock he was sitting on and moved back towards the temple. Slowly, he walked up onto the deck, his black boots tapping against the wood, and walked down towards the door. When he reached it, he slowly opened it and looked inside.

The room was dim from candlelight. He looked around then stepped inside, forgetting to close the door all the way. His boots clicked slowly against the floor as he made his way into the room. He sat down in a chair next to the bed. She lay in the bed.

Her breath was faint. Barely audible, she breathed slowly and shallow. Her skin was an unusual purplish green, and her body was lifeless. Her heart beat was slow.

Putting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, he started at the girl for a long time in silence. Down the deck, Raye walked in her noiseless socks. She approached, noticing the open door, and looked inside. Instead of coming in, she waited outside at the door.

The boy leaned forward over her body. "I'm sorry," He said quietly. Raye put her ear to the door to listen. The two words seemed to break the boy's spirit. "I'm sorry." His voice started to shake with emotion. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." He stood up from his chair. He reached down, putting his hand over her hand. "I'm sorry I never talked to you. I was just so afraid." The strong, emotionless boy had tears well up in his eyes. "I'm sorry I never told you." The heavy tears fell from his eyes and dropped onto Sakura's hand. Painfully and ashamed of his feelings, he pulled his hand away to wipe his tears. He then stormed out of the room, charging past Raye on the deck.

"Kazuki, are you alright?" She asked.

He didn't answer, disappearing into the night.

The tears that rolled from Kazuki's face onto the girl's hand sunk into her skin. Slowly and gently, the purplish green color of her sink started to lighten.

Raye watched Kazuki disappear then looked on in at Sakura.

* * *

She had fallen asleep at her daughter's side—her hand gripping the cold clammy hand of her daughter tightly. She sat in the chair with her upper body thrown over the bed. Something stirred against her. She started to arouse. Pulling her head up, she fluttered her eyes open and looked around.

Something in the bed was moving.

"Mommy?" The girl uttered.

Raye's eyes shot open. She looked over at Sakura. The girl's eyes were half-awake and looking straight back at Raye.

"Sakura!" Raye gasped. She leapt forward and took the girl into her embrace. "Sakura! You're alive!"

The girl was still groggy, but breathing much more normally. Her skin had returned to its normal fair and beautiful color. It hurt for her to be squeezed by Raye, but she didn't mind it so much. Raye pulled back from her embrace and put her trembling hand on Sakura's cheek. Tears came to her eyes. "You're alive!" Not being able to help herself, Raye took Sakura into another hug. Sakura weakly lifted her arms and put them around Raye.

"Are you alright? Are you in any pain?" Raye looked at Sakura, still keeping her eyes on the girl.

Sakura sat for a moment in silence. "I'm kind of hungry."

Raye laughed—her first laugh a couple of days. "I'll call Ami and see what I should give you, okay?"

Sakura gently nodded then rested her head back into the pillow.

Raye took off out of the room.

* * *

Ami held the girl's arm, checking the pulse, while the girl hovered over her breakfast plate. After Ami was finished, she released Sakura's arm, allowing the girl to continue to inhale the food. Ami shook her head and smiled. "Remarkable."

"She's going to be okay?" Serena asked.

Ami looked over at the girl, who was now gulping down a glass of orange juice. "I think she'll be more than okay."

The girl quickly polished off a plate of hash browns and eggs. She gingerly looked up at Lita. "Are there any more?"

Lita smiled and left her seat to fulfill the girl's request. All the Sailor Scouts were present to see the miracle recovery. They marveled at the fact that the girl who was sitting before them was dying just last night. It truly was a miracle. Raye refilled the glass when Sakura put it back down on the table.

"Making up for lost time, eh?" Mina commented with a smile. Sakura looked up at her, smiled back then continued eating.

Serena stared one particular dish that Sakura had—strawberry shortcake in a bowl with fresh strawberries and whipped crème. "Are you going to finish all that?" Serena asked gently.

Sakura looked up, fierceness in her eyes. "Yes,"

Serena narrowed her eyes. "Don't you think you've had enough?"

Sakura's eyes narrowed too. "No, I don't think so."

Everyone glanced around at each other. Sakura did have her Aunt's appetite, but she also had her mother's temper.

"Anyway!" Lita interrupted. "We should probably hurry. The boys will be here any minute to discuss what we're going to do about Kyoji."

"Right." Everyone nodded.

* * *

Everyone was assembled in the tea room. All the Sailor Scouts, Tuxedo Warriors, and even Kanejiro and Trista, but as Raye looked around, she noticed that Sakura was not present. She slipped out of the room and headed back to her bedroom. She reached the bedroom and looked in, but Sakura was not there. She didn't know where to look next. Raye stepped outside onto the deck and gazed over the courtyard. The girl was sitting on one of the rocks with her knees pulled up to her chest.

Raye walked over to the girl. Sakura had her face buried in her knees. Even though, Raye couldn't see the girl's face, she knew that the girl was crying. Gently, she put her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Sakura, are you okay?"

Sakura looked up, indeed with teary eyes. "It's all my fault," She said through her tears.

Raye knew instantly what the girl blamed herself for, and tried to comfort her. "It's not your fault at all. It's Queen Beryl's fault if it's anyone's fault."

Sakura cried harder. "But it's my fault he's gone!" She exclaimed, referring to Kyoji.

"He's your future father. He feels that just as strongly as I do. He was only trying to protect you. He does love you."

"If I was so stupid to trust Ryujin then none of this would have happened!" Sakura tried to hide her tears. "It was like I couldn't help myself. He was just so nice to me. He tricked me so easily."

"He fooled us all—including your father and me." Raye hugged the girl. "It's not your fault at all, but we need you. We do need your help getting him back."

Sakura pulled away from the embrace and nodded. The two of them got up and walked back over to the tea room. They entered from the outside entrance and joined the crowd. The Sailors and Warriors were already deliberating.

"I don't know how exactly we're supposed to get to the Negaverse when we don't have all the Sailors to create the Sailor teleport," Amara said.

Michelle nodded. "Without Sailor Pluto, we won't have the strength to teleport ourselves let alone the Tuxedo Warriors."

Sakura stepped forward. "What do you mean without Sailor Pluto?"

Trista looked up at her. "A few years ago, I was commissioned never to be Sailor Pluto again. I still had my staff, but Queen Beryl stole it when she captured Kanejiro and me."

"But, I'm Sailor Pluto," Sakura said.

"What?" Everyone jerked simultaneously towards Sakura.

Raye looked shocked. "You're my daughter. How are you Sailor Pluto? Aren't you supposed to be the future Sailor Mars?"

"I am—well, I will be when my mother gives me her powers." Sakura looked to Trista. "You chose me to be your heir since you do not have a daughter."

"But how can you be both Sailor Pluto and Sailor Mars?" Lita marveled at the girl. "Isn't that impossible?"

Sakura looked over at Lita and shook her head. "No, it's not. I have Moon blood. I'm capable of absorbing more than one power at a time." She looked over at Serena. "Aunt Serenity has the same power."

Serena stood up. "What exactly does this mean?"

"It means that you or I can absorb multiple Sailor powers."

"How can this be done?" Serena asked.

Sakura was silent for a moment. "Through training—it's a difficult ability to learn." Sakura gave a sigh. "I've only been able to absorb one other Sailor power other than my own."

"What happens when you do this?" Ami asked, fascinated. "Is there some sort of synergy that happens when powers are combined?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes, when I absorb another Sailor, it's like two Sailors in one, but more powerful than if they were separate."

"But anyway, you can at least become Sailor Pluto and transport us to the Negaverse?" Diego asked.

Sakura nodded. "Yes." She dug around in her pockets. She pulled out a black Sailor pen, the pen of Pluto, and she revealed a small purple crystal." Sakura also had the Planet Crystal of Pluto.

Suddenly, the crystal started to glow and shake. Everyone looked to their pockets. Their crystals were doing the same. When each crystal was revealed, they turned into masses of light. Leaving each of the girl's hands, they flew towards Sakura's hand. Together they formed into one mass of white light. It was extremely bright, and everyone shielded his or her eyes. After a few seconds, the light died down and stopped glowing. All that was left was a pure diamond crystal in Sakura's hand.

"What does this mean?" Eiji asked.

Darien shook his head. "I don't know."

Hayate pondered over the girl for a moment. "She is the chosen one."

"What?" Sakura jerked her head over.

Hayate nodded. "You have a great destiny. I can feel it."

Sakura shook her head and looked to her feet. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. I'm a nobody."

"I do think we have some advantages using Sakura," Ami stated. "Since Beryl has Kyoji, she probably thinks she's caused Sakura to disappear from time."

The Sailors nodded their heads.

"Also, if she can absorb one of our powers and become a stronger warrior, we could use that to our advantage." Ami looked to Sakura. "Can you absorb anyone's power or did you have to learn how to absorb each individual Sailor's power?"

"I had to practice each one individually before I could absorb it. I'm able to absorb Sailor Mars' power." Sakura shook her head. "I don't know exactly how it works. I'm just able to do it with concentration and practice."

Ami nodded. "Then we'll have to keep Sailor Mars and Sailor Pluto close then."

Raye nodded back. "Right." She looked over at Sakura with a faint smile. Sakura was not smiling.

* * *

He was finished. Beryl stood up from her throne as he was led into the courtroom of the Negaverse. Stepping down from her throne platform, she reached out her hand.

The Prince of the Moon Kingdom was a different person now. Instead of his pure white attire, he was covered in all black. His beautiful blue eyes, common to the Moon royalty, were now a fierce red. Locks of his hair turned black, giving him blonde and black hair. Dark circles ran under his eyes, and he no longer smiled at all. His moon symbol on his forehead was now black and upside down.

Her hand was met within the hand of the Moon Prince. He had no recognition of who he was or what he was doing anymore. He was a slave and puppet of the Negaverse. Beryl waved to her guards. Two guards came over, one holding a pillow and small silver crown. It was twisted and ugly. Beryl took it. She bit the Prince to kneel down. "You shall no longer be Prince Kyoji of the Moon Kingdom, but from this day forth, you shall be known as Prince Kyanite of the Dark Moon." She placed the crown on his head.

"Thank you, your Majesty." He uttered, robotically.

"Rise, Prince Kyanite!"

The young man stood up from the ground.

Beryl put her hands on his shoulders. He was unresponsive, but she didn't mind having someone she could control as her husband. "Soon you will be King of the Negaverse by my side, and we will rule Crystal Tokyo forever." She smirked just before her lips went over his. He was still unresponsive, but possessing him was the only way to keep him as hers.

She pulled away from the dark Prince and walked over to the pool in the middle of the courtroom. She pulled out her dark crystal. "The time is complete, and the Prince is at my side." Closing her eyes, she focused deeply on the power of the crystal. "DARK CRYSTAL, AWAKEN AND GIVE BIRTH TO THE FUTURE!"

The ground started to shake. Dark Shadows fell over the earth as the Dark Negaverse moved in front of the sun causing a solar eclipse. The Negaverse was merging with the present earth. Beryl laughed. Soon Crystal Tokyo would be born, and she would sit on the throne, claming it for herself. But first, she needed to receive the royal right of sitting on Crystal Tokyo by marriage to the Prince of the Moon.

* * *

Darkness fell over the land. Even the least of the discerning of the Sailor Scouts could feel the presence of evil. They ran out from the temple and looked around. The sky was completely dark except for the red light that surged across the horizons.

"What in the world?" Darien walked around in circles looking up at the sky.

"Kazuki!" Trista said as her grown son walked up to her. Kanejiro was holding the smaller version of Kazuki. The boy walked up, looking around. "There's evil here."

Trista nodded. "Yes, I know."

Sakura stood close to Raye. "What's going on?"

Ami typed furiously on her computer while Hayate stared at the screen. "The past is merging with the present and the future." Ami looked up from the computer to the sky. "The Dark Moon is causing the eclipse."

"What should we do then?" Diego asked.

Everyone stopped talking as the ground started to shake. The entire city started to shake and rumble. The ground rumbled so hard that they all collapsed to her knees. Raye looked at the temple. Suddenly, a large pillar of dark crystal pierced out from the ground coming up from out of the temple.

"WHAT!" Raye screamed, watched her beloved temple being destroyed. "THE TEMPLE!"

All over the city, dark pillars of Crystal Tokyo spiraled up from out of the ground. Except for the crystal being pure and beautiful, it was dark and ugly.

"What's going on?" Serena asked.

Ami watched her computer in amazement. "Crystal Tokyo is being birthed with evil energy."

"What does this mean?" Mina asked.

"It means that the evil version of Crystal Tokyo is coming forth."

"How do we stop it?" Raye asked.

"We need to stop Beryl!" Hayate said.

Darien motioned for everyone to come together. "We need to get to the Negaverse now." He looked around. "Who can fight?"

Trista looked to Sakura. "She is the new Sailor Pluto. She'll have to go in my place. I don't have any powers anymore."

Kanejiro handed her baby Kazuki. "I will go too."

"Are you sure?" Trista asked.

Kanejiro nodded. "I am a capable fighter. I should be there."

"And I," Kazuki stepped forward.

"No way! I am not letting you go!" Trista folded her arms across her chest.

Kanejiro put his hand on Kazuki's shoulder. "He's a powerful boy. He can handle himself."

Trista sighed but nodded in agreement. She hugged her stoic looking son, but his arms came up gently around her. The boy whispered in her ear. "I love you." She whispered the same thing to her son.

After a few moments, they all transformed. Nine Sailors, Four Tuxedo Warriors, and two powerful warriors stood ready to go. The Nine Sailors formed a circle around the other men. Soon, the Sailors started to glow.

"SAILOR TELEPORT!" Soon, all the warriors were gone, leaving Trista and baby Kazuki behind.

* * *

The Sailors appeared in a dark cavern within the Negaverse. They looked around, rubbing their hands to keep warm.

Shaking, Serena looked around the cavern. "Where are we?"

"I don't know." Tuxedo Mask wrapped his arms and cape around Sailor Moon. "The Negaverse is huge."

Tuxedo Knight studied the surroundings while Sailor Mercury typed on her supercomputer. The Knight put his hand on the wall. "I think I know where we are." He looked around the cavern. "If I'm right, we're about a mile from the throne room."

"Can you take us there?" Tuxedo Zorro asked.

Tuxedo Knight nodded. "Yes, I should." He pondered for a moment. "I could teleport there, but that wouldn't you any good."

Sailor mars stepped forward. "Why don't you? You could see if Kyoji is okay or not."

"But I wouldn't be able to find you again." Tuxedo Knight paused. "I have the ability to transport two people. I could take Ami, and she would be able to find you with the supercomputer."

Sailor Venus nodded. "Then we'll head forward until we come to a crossroads."

Tuxedo Knight touched Sailor Mercury. Together they evaporated into thin air. The others moved forward within the caverns.

The young Sailor Pluto looked up and down the cavern walls. She was very quiet as the group walked. Sailor Mars lagged behind to walk with Sailor Pluto. "Are you alright?"

Sailor Pluto nodded. "Do you think he's okay?"

"What does your heart tell you?"

Sailor Pluto didn't answer. "I don't know."

Sailor Mars closed her eyes. "Sakura, we have to hope for the best. I know it's difficult, but we must try."

Sailor Pluto hid her face, but Sailor Mars saw the girl raise her arm and wipe away tears.

* * *

The evil Queen sat on her throne watching the guards and servants scurry around the courtroom. They decorated the room with black banners, and silver furniture. At her feet sat the Dark Prince. He sat on the steps leading to the throne while she ran her fingers through his blonde and black hair.

Behind the pillars of ice and stalagmites, Tuxedo Knight and Sailor Mercury watched the business of the courtroom unfold. They saw their friend, Kyoji, completely possessed and under the control.

The old Queen wasn't as dumb as she looked sometimes. She sat silently for a moment, but then called two guards up to her. They left. As Tuxedo Knight and Sailor Mercury watched, they were confronted by guards. They held their hands up and were put before Queen Beryl.

"Kaiba," The Queen smirked.

Queen Beryl!" Tuxedo Knight hissed.

The Queen petted the top of the Prince's head. "Have you come to celebrate my wedding?"

"Yuck! Who would marry you?" Tuxedo Knight balked.

The Queen scowled. She petted the Prince's head again. "Prince Kyanite and I are to be wed."

Sailor Mercury stared at the possessed Kyoji. "You've stolen his will power! You're sick and cruel!"

The Queen laughed. "You're just now figuring this out?"

"Let Kyoji go!" Sailor Mercury hollered.

"He's no longer your Kyoji! He is now Prince Kyanite of the Negaverse!"

"Beryl, you're horrible!" Tuxedo Knight leapt at Beryl with his Excalibur in hand. He thrust his arms down to strike, but the Prince leapt up and blocked the attack with his katana.

The Queen smirked. "He's mine now." The Prince backed away from Tuxedo Knight but kept his sword up to protect the Queen. She wrapped her arms around his waist. "He will be King of the Negaverse!" She looked to her guards. "Guards, bind them!"

Tuxedo Knight and Sailor Mercury prepared for a fight.

* * *

The Sailors had come to a crossroads. They waited and waited for contact from Sailor Mercury and Tuxedo Knight. Tired, they sat down on the cold icy floor. It was difficult to say how much time passed—there were no markers of time.

Before them, a blue light appeared. Suddenly, the dark haired boy known as Ryujin appeared before them. Sailor Mars leapt to her feet. "You!"

Ryujin looked over the Sailors with a smirk. His eyes locked on Sakura. "I see you're still alive." His smirk turned to a frown. "Perhaps you're not as pathetic as I thought."

Sailor Pluto held her fists up. "You're going to pay for what you did, Ryujin!"

Ryujin laughed, but before he was finished, Kazuki charged forward with an attack. Everyone gasped. Across Ryujin's cheek were three fresh cuts from Kazuki's blade. Angrily, Ryujin turned towards Kazuki.

"Three for three, but we're not even close to even," Kazuki uttered, bitterly.

"As you wish," Ryujin spat back. He started to transform back into his real form, the black Dragon. Kazuki braced himself while the other warriors got into a battle position. The shadowy dragon emerged and blew hot fire at the Sailors. The fire was so hot that it was actually blue. Double teaming the dragon, Tuxedo Ninja and Tuxedo Zorro leapt forward. They were quickly batted away with the Ryujin's tail.

"Eiji!" Sailor Jupiter shot out her lightning. Ryujin caught the lightning between his hands and threw it at Sailor Venus. The Solder of Love flew back into the wall. Breathing another wave of fire, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon were knocked to the ground. Figuring she would be able to handle the flames, Sailor Mars ran forward and created a fire shield. Without even using words, Sailor Pluto worked perfectly with Sailor Mars and came up behind the shield.

"PLUTO DEADLY SCREAM!" Sailor Pluto hollered out. The attack hit Ryujin and made him stumble. While he was off balance, Kanejiro and Kazuki slashed Ryujin up with their blades.

They backed away as it looked like the Dragon was dying. Suddenly, the Dragon howled greatly in anger and stood up straight. Wildly, he failed his arms, knocking Kanejiro into the wall. Kazuki stumbled trying to dodge the arm and fell to the ground.

Sailor Pluto ran forward.

"Sakura!" Sailor Mars hollered.

The heroic Sailor Pluto held her staff up and blocked the attack headed for Kazuki. With all her strength, she held her staff up to keep the Dragon's arm from coming down on them. The Dragon, looking for a quick attack, breathed another wave of fire. The ground melted underneath them. Through a large hole, Kazuki, Sakura, and Ryujin fell deep down within the underworld of the Negaverse. Sailor Mars ran to the hole and screamed. "SAKURA! SAKURA!" Her daughter was gone.


	29. War of the Universe

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

**War of the Universe**

They tumbled deep down through the darkness. Wrapped in the arms of the Dragon, Kazuki tried to fight himself free, but Ryujin wrapped him too tightly. Managing to get one arm free, Kazuki contracted his claws on his right hand and stabled them into the Dragon's chest. The Dragon howled greatly as they fell in the darkness. As the Dragon died, Kazuki pushed off its body with his feet. Being able to see through the darkness, he leapt towards Sakura, but couldn't catch her before they hit the ground. The Dragon's body helped break the fall, but they still hit the ground hard.

They lay on the cold ground in the darkness for a few moments trying to catch their breaths. Sakura tried to stand up, but she hissed in pain. Her ankle was swollen. Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the darkness. The light illuminated Kazuki's face. He was capable of lighting up the darkness with an energy lamp. He tossed the ball of light on the ground to light the cavern. Again, Sakura tried to move, but she fell down, hitting her bottom against the cold ground. She tried again. She couldn't be weak in front of Kazuki, but she hissed in pain.

"Don't move it if it hurts."

Sakura's head shot up. "What?" She was mortified—he was actually talking to her.

Kazuki walked over to her, and bent down on his knees. Sakura was still trying to move, but her right ankle was swollen. Kazuki grabbed her leg and pulled off the long black boot on her leg. Sakura's face flushed bright red. Kazuki Meioh was touching her bare leg. He tried to bend and flex the ankle, but Sakura hissed in pain.

He looked up at her. "You're going to need to keep this straight until your powers are able to heal you."

She faintly nodded. She was startled when she heard the sudden rip of clothing. He tore off his black cape and wrapped it around Sakura's ankle. After he was finished, he looked up from the hole they fell into.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Sakura asked.

Kazuki didn't answer. He peered through the darkness. "We'll have to climb out, but not the way we fell." He pointed towards a shadowy area.

"But my ankle…" She muttered. She felt weak.

Kazuki turned back to her. "I'll have to carry you."

Sakura fell silent but her face went bright red. "Carry me?"

He kneeled down in front of Sakura. He arched his back preparing for her to grab a hold. Gingerly, she reached forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. He started to stand up, pulling Sakura with him. She gasped as Kazuki grabbed a hold of her legs and pushed him up on his back. He started walking through the darkness. The cave was rocky, steep, and uneven, but Kazuki walked through carrying Sakura on his back with ease. His eyes were extremely keen in the darkness, and he managed to guide them through the cave.

* * *

With the help of the Prince, the guards were able to subdue Tuxedo Knight and Sailor Mercury. The two of them sat on the floor of the throne room with their ankles and wrists bound. They watched as the servants of the Dark Moon dressed the room. Carpets were rolled out, banners and tapestries were hung, and Beryl was outfitted in a new dress. There were musicians practicing dark melodies in the minor keys.

It was an almost horrible sight to see. There was going to be a wedding in the Negaverse that day. Every horrible creature and evil villain in the Negaverse was invited. The evil Queen stood dressed in a hideous black dress that had spikes piercing out the shoulders. Stoically, the Prince sat on the steps leading up to the throne. Tuxedo Knight and Sailor Mercury tried to call out to him, but he wouldn't answer.

"Hayate, can you reach my supercomputer?" Sailor Mercury activated her computer, but her hands were tied behind her back. Tuxedo Samurai was able to grab it and toss it on Sailor Mercury's lap. She pulled her knees up to her chest, cradling the computer. She pushed the alert button with her chin. At least now the Sailors would know something was wrong.

* * *

Sailor Mars stood over the hole in the ground hollering for her daughter and Kazuki. As the others sat patiently, a message alerted all of their communicators.

"What's going on?" Tuxedo Mask asked.

Sailor Moon looked at her communicator. "It's an alert from Sailor Mercury." She looked up at everyone. "There must be an emergency."

"What should we do?" Sailor Jupiter asked.

Sailor Uranus pondered for a moment. "We'll have to split up into two groups. One that looks for Sakura and Kazuki, and one that goes to help Hayate and Ami."

"We shouldn't split up," Sailor Neptune said.

Sailor Saturn shook her head. "We have no choice."

Sailor Mars looked back. "I'll try to find Sakura and Kazuki."

Kanejiro stepped forward. "Yes, I will go too." He looked around. "The rest of you should get to the throne room."

Everyone nodded and broke off into groups.

* * *

They ascended higher and higher up the cavern. He would faintly grunt as he would stretch to reach the next rock. Sweat glistened from his skin as he climbed higher and higher with the girl on his back. She felt horrible that he had to work so hard to carry her. As they climbed, a rock broke out from his foot, and they slid down. She shrieked and gripped him tightly.

He grabbed hold of a rock with his hands and pulled them up with his upper body strength. Her arms were still squeezed around his neck. "Could you not squeeze so tight? I can't breathe."

"Sorry," She uttered, very embarrassed. She stopped squeezing his neck. "I'm sorry you have to carry me."

"Don't worry about it," He said, almost pleasantly. He turned his head glancing back at her. "It's a good workout."

The rocks were muddy, and he started to slip again. He knew he was in control, but it scared Sakura. She gasped while gripping onto him tightly. Her head went against his back and rubbed against his neck. He took in a sharp breath as she clung to him.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yes," He nervously stuttered. He never imagined getting to be this close to the girl he liked so much. He was always terrified of talking to her, but now here he was talking with her and even carrying her through the darkness like her hero.

Finally, they reached a hole at the end of the tunnel. They were able to crawl back up to the level they fell from. He crawled through the hole then carefully laid Sakura on the ground. He then moved down towards Sakura's ankle. He touched it then looked up at her.

"It doesn't hurt so much anymore," She said.

"Do you think you can walk?"

Sakura tried to stand up. Her ankle was in much less pain than before. She was a descendant of the Moon Kingdom—they had the ability to regenerate themselves over a period of time. She started to walk slowly. He came alongside of her and walked.

* * *

The two sat tied up watching the courtroom. From behind, Hayate felt something. He jerked his head back. It was Azariah.

"What are you doing here?" Tuxedo Knight asked.

Sailor Mercury looked back. "Azariah!" She gasped in a hushed whisper.

The fiery haired girl put her finger to her lips, motioning them to be quiet. She started to untie Tuxedo Knight then together they worked on Sailor Mercury. She motioned them to follow her to the outskirts of the throne room. They were able to sneak away without anyone noticing. After they walked down a few ice hallways, Azariah turned around and looked to them. She was still limping from the last battle they had.

"Why are you helping us?" Sailor Mercury asked.

"I owe you one. Don't make me regret it."

Tuxedo Knight stood solemnly. "Azariah, thank you."

She looked back at him. She looked almost pathetic when she limped. "Just go."

Sailor Mercury started to type furiously on her computer. "I have to alert the Sailors of Beryl's plans."

Yelling started from the courtroom. The guards discovered the missing captives. Sailor Mercury jerked her head up. "We've got to hurry. They can't find us."

"Just go!" Azariah snapped. She starting running to the courtroom.

"Azariah, stop! I'll be your death if you go in there!" Tuxedo Knight said.

She looked back for a moment. "I'm already dead. Azariah no longer lives." She looked forward and ran away. She charged into the courtroom with an attack. She was instantly subdued and killed.

With tears, Tuxedo Knight and Sailor Mercury ran through the caverns. Sailor Mercury alerted all the Sailors to a meeting point.

* * *

They walked mostly in silence with a few words occasionally. As they walked on, her ankle started to heal. Soon she was walking normally, but her nervousness kept the pace rather slow. His hands were in his pockets and he would kick rocks as they walked along.

He glanced over at her. He wondered why he had so much courage on the battlefield, but he didn't have the courage to say a few words to a girl. She looked over at him. She wondered why he always seemed so disinterested in her. She tried to talk to him all the time, but he never really responded.

"What's wrong with me?" She asked to herself.

He glanced over at her. She was the most beautiful girl he ever saw, but he didn't have the courage to tell her. "What's wrong with me?" He asked himself.

"Sakura!"

Sakura jerked her head up. "Mom!"

The two ran towards each other and leapt into each other's arms. Kanejiro walked up to his son and grabbed his shoulders. "Good boy. I knew I could count on you to take care of her."

Kazuki nodded.

Sailor Mars held the girl tightly in her arms. She breathed in Sakura's scent, which was much like her own. "I thought I lost you again."

Sakura squeezed her mother tighter.

Sailor Mars pulled away from her daughter. "Come on! We've got a wedding to stop!"

"A wedding?" Sakura asked.

* * *

Places were set. Beryl had to do it quickly before the solar eclipse completely covered the sun. She started the process of birthing evil Crystal Tokyo into existence; now she had to sit on the throne of Crystal Tokyo before the eclipse was complete.

Hundreds of evil creatures varying in all shapes, sizes, and life-form came to the celebration. They crowded around the long black carpet that stretched from the main entrance of the courtroom to the throne platform. Waiting for her at the end of the aisle was Prince Kyanite of the Dark Moon, the former Prince Kyoji of the Moon Kingdom. He stood stoically dressed in all black as he waited for Queen Beryl to make her way up to the front.

Finally, she reached the Prince and the evil Priest who was to perform the ceremony. Together, Prince Kyanite and Queen Beryl stood at the head of the courtroom ready to be married.

The evil Queen grinned—she was moments away from having Crystal Tokyo and Prince Kyanite. The Priest looked to her. "I do," She said.

The Priest rehearsed some more lines then looked to the evil Prince. "Prince Kyanite."

The Prince didn't respond.

Queen Beryl gave the Priest a nasty look. He nodded then looked back to his book. "Then you may kiss the bride."

Prince Kyanite didn't move. The Queen leaned towards him to seal the marriage. She puckered her dark cold lips. Suddenly, the doors to the courtroom flew open. Beryl jerked her head.

"GET AWAY FROM MY FIANCE!" Sailor Mars stood in the doorway in a karate stance. She had kicked the doors open.

Beryl stepped in front of the Prince. "He is no longer yours! He's Prince Kyanite of the Dark Moon!"

"Only because you brainwashed him!" Sailor Mars hollered back.

The evil Queen smirked. "He's my husband now, and that little brat of yours has disappeared within the wrinkles of time!"

"Are you sure about that?" Sailor Mars smirked. She quickly ducked down. Sailor Pluto leapt over her and formed an attack.

"PLUTO DEADLY SCREAM!"

The attack launched forth and hit Beryl, but the attack only made her stumble back a few feet. Despite the fact it didn't do much physical damage, Beryl's pride was greatly hurt. Enraged, she shot out an attack that managed to knock all the Sailors and Warriors to their knees. She grinned after she saw the power she had over them.

Mars and Pluto helped each other up. They kept their eyes on their loved one, seeing what Beryl had turned him into. Mars looked back to Sailor Moon. The Moon Princess nodded. Mars and Pluto charged forward, each performing an attack while Sailor Moon ran up behind them. After the first two attacks, Sailor Moon pulled out her wand. "MOON HEALING ACTIVATION!"

Sailor Moon was much more powerful now with her own Planet Crystal. A huge beam of light surged through the courtroom, hitting Queen Beryl and Prince Kyanite. After the initial light had cleared, everyone looked on in earnestly, but Beryl and Kyanite were still there.

The Queen laughed. Of course that attack wouldn't work on her—she was pure evil and nothing could be healed in her. She looked to Kyanite. She had let so many spirits possess him that it would be impossible for anyone to destroy them all. Beryl pondered for a moment. She truly was an evil master mind. "Prince Kyanite, destroy them!"

The Prince robotically followed orders. She stepped down from the throne platform, drawing his katana. He slowly walked towards the Sailors. Sailor Mars walked towards him. "Kyoji, please! Come back to us!" She stopped in front of him, but he kept walking. "Kyoji!" She grabbed a hold of his arm.

His arm flung up, striking her across the cheek with the back his of hand. Mortified, she fell to the ground and grabbed her cheek. "Kyoji?" Tears started to run down her face. He didn't know her anymore. The Sailors prepared for a fight. A wide variety of feelings and emotions swirled through them. They had to fight their friend, but looking at him, he no longer was their friend—only a shell of the boy they once knew.

Prince Kyanite started to charge. He raised his katana while running towards the girl. She froze. Her own father was attacking her and ready to strike.

"Sakura, move!" Tuxedo Knight hollered. He stepped in the way and blocked the sword of the dark Prince. Sailor Pluto jerked back into consciousness and moved out of the way. Tuxedo Knight and Prince Kyanite started to duel. The Knight was soon joined by Tuxedo Mask and Tuxedo Zorro.

Prince Kyanite was stronger than Kyoji—he was the combination of the Moon Prince plus the one hundred evil spirits residing in Kyoji's body. With an accurate kick, Tuxedo Mask flew across the courtroom into the wall. With a punch to the face, Tuxedo Zorro was immobilized. Soon, Tuxedo Knight was struck down with an energy attack from the palm of the evil Prince's hand. Tuxedo Ninja leapt up into the air and threw metal pins at the Prince. The Prince held out his hand, stopping the pins in mid-air. All with his mind powers, the Prince turned the pins around and shot them back at Tuxedo Ninja. Tuxedo Ninja was hit and fell straight to the ground.

"Eiji!" Sailor Jupiter called out. She ran forward and fired her lightning bolts at Prince Kyanite. The Prince blocked the attack with his katana and deflected the attack to Sailor Moon. She was hit in the stomach with the lightning ball, and she collapsed twitching and shaking.

"SAILOR MOON!" The Sailors ran over to their Princess. The attack had horrible repercussions on Sailor Moon's body. It shook her violently and made every fiber of her being pulsate with pain. Sailor Venus took Sailor Moon in her arms to comfort her.

"What are we going to do?" Sailor Jupiter asked in tears, sorry that her attack backfired.

Sailor Uranus looked over at Prince Kyanite for a moment then back to the group. "I think now is the time to have Sakura absorb Sailor Mars' power and attack."

"NO!" Sailor Pluto sobbed. "I CAN'T!"

"You have to!" Sailor Uranus yelled harshly.

Sailor Pluto shook her head. "I CAN'T KILL MY FATHER!"

"He isn't your father anymore!" Uranus grabbed the girl by the shoulders and shook her. "Do your duty!"

"Uranus!" Sailor Neptune hollered.

Sailor Pluto started to sob harder and gasp for air. Sailor Mars took her gently by the shoulders. She, too, was crying. "Sakura, you have to do this. We have to think of the greater good."

"But he's my father!"

Sailor Mars nodded. "I know." She paused for a moment. "But if you don't, everyone on earth will die."

Sailor Pluto closed her eyes while the tears poured out from her eyes. "Why does it have to be like this?"

While the Sailors deliberated, Prince Kyanite returned back to Queen Beryl's side. Soon, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Mars rose up to prepare for their attack. Beryl studied Sailor Pluto. This was the girl that was destined to kill her, and she was still alive. Beryl glanced back at Prince Kyanite. She had the Prince so why was the girl still here? History had changed so the girl could not be conceived, but she was still here. Beryl's eyes opened wide. The girl must have already been conceived somehow. Beryl's discerning eyes racked over Sailor Mars. She looked for a moment then she felt it. Sailor Mars was carrying life.

The Queen stepped forward. "I will fight now." Prince Kyanite took a step back. Sailor Pluto closed her eyes ready to focus, but the Queen moved to fast. Before she could open her eyes to respond, Sailor Pluto saw Beryl's fist fly into her face. Sailor Pluto flew back. Sailor Mars leapt towards Beryl with an attack. Beryl blocked. Sailor Mars and Queen Beryl were engaged fighting with each other.

"Leave my fiancé alone, you skuzzy old hag!" Sailor Mars threw a punch.

Beryl blocked the punch and threw one of her own. "He's mine now! Perhaps you should learn how to hang onto your man!"

The two women fought, punch, clawed, kicked, and even bit as they wrestled against each other. Finally, Sailor Mars as able to land a perfect punch against Beryl's jaw. The old Queen flew back. She rubbed her jaw angrily, but then began to laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Sailor Mars demanded to know.

Beryl kept laughing—she had only been using a portion of her strength. The Queen closed her eyes and focused deeply. She began to radiate a darkish light. Suddenly, the Queen's muscles bulged, her nails and teeth grew, and her face shifted. She looked even more horrible than before.

"What are you trying to do—win the ugly contest?" Sailor Mars asked. "You would have already one, but this costume takes them all!"

"Laugh all you want Sailor Mars," The Queen's voice was darker and more sinister.

"MARS FLAME SHOOTER!" The attack flew towards Beryl, hitting her in the shoulder. The attack dissipated, doing absolutely nothing.

"What?" Mars questioned. Before she knew it, Beryl had charged toward her. The huge thick arms Beryl had now squeezed around Sailor Mars and started to crush her. Sailor Mars screamed out as it felt like her arms were breaking.

"MOM!" Sailor Pluto ran towards them, but was blocked by a force field Beryl formed.

Beryl glanced down. A small white crystal dangled down from a necklace Sailor Mars wore. She felt it. It made sense now. The unborn girl was in that crystal. With her left arm, Beryl still continued to crush Sailor Mars, but with her right arm, she reached up and took a hold of the crystal necklace.

Sailor Mars' eyes bulged. "NO! LEAVE IT ALONE!"

Beryl laughed then squeezed the crystal.

Suddenly, Sakura felt weak. As if she was cracking on the inside, she felt a strange pain inside of her. She collapsed to her knees. Beryl squeezed the crystal again. Sakura felt a wave of pain again. Holding up her hands, they were faintly colored—almost transparent. She was disappearing.

Sailor Mars kicked, screamed, fought, and sobbed greatly. "LEAVE IT ALONE! PLEASE, I BEG YOU! LEAVE HER ALONE!"

Beryl squeezed again. "I will destroy your child!" She said with bitter rage and anger. The Sailors were trying to beat through Beryl's force field, but they weren't strong enough. Sailor Mars glanced over at Sakura. She was disappearing from sight. "SAKURA!"

"Mother!" Sakura uttered weakly.

Beryl was squeezing her two tightly. She was losing her breath. Sailor Mars started to turn purple. Her head dropped. She was no longer breathing.

"SAILOR MARS!" The Sailors screamed as they watched their friend die.

"MARS!" Tuxedo Ninja hollered out.

"DON'T DIE!" Tuxedo Knight dropped to his knees from pounding on the force field.

Beryl dropped Sailor Mars' body while yanking the crystal necklace off. Beryl started at the cracked crystal then looked over at Sakura. "Goodbye!" She squeezed again.

Suddenly, a bright flash of light filled the courtroom. It was the purest of light and completely blinding. It couldn't be seen, but something hit Queen Beryl and shot her back towards the other end of the courtroom. She crashed into her throne next to Prince Kyanite.

* * *

She had fallen to the floor, dying. Everything went so slow—as if time was slowing down. Her head crashed to the floor, hitting the marble. It bounced up and crashed again. She thought she was dead then suddenly Beryl was pushed backwards through the air. She didn't know why, but the evil Queen flew so far back that she crashed into her throne. The small white crystal necklace fell to the floor. It shattered against the marble. But she saw what nobody else saw, a little tiny light. A hand caught the little tiny light while the crystal cracked on the floor. Her eyes shut.

* * *

The wind blew gently against her skin as the warm sun hit her. It felt so wonderful that she didn't want to open her eyes. She heard her name. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"Raye, darling, wake up."

Sailor Mars fluttered her eyes open. She was underneath trees—cherry trees. She sat up. Thousands upon thousands of cherry trees littered their blossoms all over her. She looked around. The colors were more rich and vibrant than she had ever seen before. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her. "Mom?" Tears instantly came to Raye's eyes.

The woman kneeled before her nodded with a faint smile. The woman had beautiful amethyst eyes with long black hair with slight curls. Raye reached out and touched her mother's cheek. "Mom?"

The woman hugged her daughter. Raye held onto her mother tightly for a long time. Once she pulled away, she managed to find her words. "Am I dead?"

The woman shook her head. "No, I stopped Beryl."

Raye was completely stunned, she didn't even know what to say in that moment. Her mother, Sakura Himura, smiled and placed her hand on Raye's shoulder. "I love you very much, and I'm so proud of you."

Raye cried a little harder. She hadn't heard words for a parent like that since her mother had died. Raye stopped once her mother held out her fist. Raye looked at the fist then looked back at her mother.

Her mother smiled. "It meant a lot to me that you named her after me."

Raye looked confused. Her mother opened her hand. Inside her palm was a little glowing white light. Raye gasped. It was the embryo of her daughter, Sakura. Raye looked back up to her mother. "You saved her."

Raye's mother nodded. "Tell her how much I would have wished to see her grow up." She held the white light in her hand then placed her hand against Raye's lower stomach. The white light sunk into Raye's body.

Raye looked up at her mother. She felt it enter her body. Deep within her, she felt the tiny light sink into her. It finally stopped. She was now pregnant.

Raye's mother smiled. "I love you."

Raye threw her arms around her mother again. "I love you too, mom."

* * *

From the cold marble floor, Sailor Mars revived. She shook her head then managed to sit up. She was back in reality—she was in a middle of a battle with Queen Beryl. Sakura wasn't suffering anymore. She wasn't disappearing anymore either. Sailor Mars looked over at Sailor Pluto and smiled. Sailor Pluto nodded back. They both were alright.

The Queen stood near her throne completely flabbergasted. She watched over the two Sailors who were supposed to be dead, but now were revived. She looked to Prince Kyanite. "Kill them!" Again, the Prince stepped forward to fight for Beryl. Withdrawing his katana, he charged into battle. He was first met by the Tuxedo Warriors. Tuxedo Mask threw roses, which the Prince dodged, and Tuxedo Ninja and Tuxedo Zorro met him with swords.

Prince Kyanite was stronger and faster than them all. He was able to block, strike, and take hits from all the Sailors and Warriors. The Sailors threw their attacks, but he was able to dodge effortlessly. Sailor Uranus entered to hand to hand combat, but he took her out with a punch to the stomach. He disabled Sailor Saturn and Sailor Venus with an energy attack. With his sword, he broke Tuxedo Mask's cane while smacking Tuxedo Ninja's sword out of his hands. Soon, all the Sailors were down.

"MARS FLAME SHOOTER!"

The attack surged forward, catching Prince Kyanite by surprise. It hit him in the chest and knocked him back, but didn't do much damage. She had to do her duty; she charged forward and started to fight with the man she loved. He would slash his katana furiously at Sailor Mars, and she would barely dodge each swing. She threw a punch, he blocked. He would counter and usually hit her. Soon, her face was a bloody mess. His punches were hard and firm. She leapt back and tried her fire attack. It was useless. He charged with his sword.

"MARS!" Tuxedo Knight yelled.

Sailor Mars looked back. Tuxedo Knight threw his Excalibur towards her. She caught the large sword in her hands. It was a big sword, and awkward for her to handle. She was able to defend herself, but she couldn't strike well. Prince Kyanite's attacks grew stronger against her. Soon, he knocked the Excalibur out of her hands and held his katana to her neck. The tip pressed hard into her neck, drawing blood.

Sailor Mars gasped as the hard point choked her. She looked straight at the man she once loved. He wasn't the same anymore. He was dark and evil now. Tears came to her eyes. The man she loved was going to kill her, but she wished, even more than her own life, that he could be restored. He pressed the tip harder into her. "Kyoji…" She uttered in tears.

He did nothing.

Her eyes closed, releasing more tears. "Kyoji, I'm pregnant. Please, if there's any good left in you, let me live."

Queen Beryl listened closely. "Kyanite! Don't listen to her! Kill her! Kill her now!"

The Prince pushed the katana against her neck. His red eyes seemed to convey that nothing was going on within his head, but something sparked. Sailor Mars stared back into those red eyes. "Kyoji, please! I know you're in there! Kyoji, I'm pregnant! Don't kill our baby!"

"DON'T LISTEN TO HER! KILL HER! SHE'S NOTHING BUT A LIAR! KYANITE, LISTEN TO ME!"

The possessed Prince stood silent for a few moments. Something was turning and stirring within his mind as he stood there. Sailor Mars kept her eyes locked with his while Beryl screamed at him from a distance.

He dropped the katana. It clanged against the marble floor. Slowly, the possessed Prince stepped forward gingerly, like a child, and reached out. He put his left hand on Sailor Mars' stomach then leaned his head on her shoulder. He was still possessed, but Kyoji was in there somewhere, controlling the body.

Heavy tears came from Mars' eyes. She nodded and put her arms around him. "Yes, Kyoji, fight it."

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! KILL HER!" Beryl screamed. She reached out her hand, using her levitation powers and took a hold of the Prince's body. She jerked him back towards her. He flew out of Sailor Mars' arms and towards Beryl. Once he landed at Beryl's feet, she pointed towards the Sailors. "KILL THEM!"

The Prince stood up, but he didn't move.

"KILL THEM!"

Still, the Prince didn't move.

Beryl screamed and slashed her hand towards the Prince. From one of Beryl's nails, a large cut ran over his eye. Blood started to pour down his face. Using her powers again, she sent him flying into the wall of the courtroom. Sailor Mars and Sailor Pluto ran over to him. Sailor Pluto gasped at the sight. "His scar!"

"Scar?" Sailor Mars asked.

"My father has a scar over his eye." Sailor Pluto lifted the Prince's head up. "This is when he got it."

"Come on!" Sailor Jupiter shouted. "Let's make her pay!" She led the Sailor Scouts in a charge, but what they failed to realize that Beryl was much more powerful than even Prince Kyanite. The Queen smirked as they charged. She held out both of her hands. Small fragments of purple energy formed then flew out from her hands. It was like shrapnel. The purple energy was like tiny blades that flew towards all of the fighters and cut them up. They all fell to the ground with fresh cuts all over their bodies. With one attack, Beryl had immobilized them all—except for one.

Kazuki leapt up into the air and flew towards Beryl. He extended all his blades on both hands and aimed them at Beryl's chest. Before he could reach her, she stretched out her hand and shot him with an electric current. Electricity surrounded the boy and shocked him so bad, it was like looking at an X-ray. Before he even hit the ground, his body was convulsion and shaking violently. Instead of just immobilizing him, Beryl kept using her shock powers. The boy, who never was very expressive, screamed out in pain. She relished in his screams and increased the voltage. He screamed louder.

Sailor Pluto raised her head weakly. Her eyes filled with tears. Her friends and family were suffering. They were bleeding and dying terrible deaths at the hand of the evil Queen. Something started to stir within her.

Something started to stir within each of the Sailors. They all started to glow. Suddenly, it felt as if their powers were being drained from their bodies. They felt the process of detransformation from Sailor Scouts. As they lay on the floor, their powers left their bodies, and their Sailor pens hovered outside of their bodies. They now were ordinary girls. Each pen started to glow its respective color then move away from it's owner. They all floated across the courtroom. They were heading towards Sakura. A white ball of light had formed in front of Sakura. As the Sailor pens flew across the room, they came into the white ball of light and were absorbed. As soon as all nine pens were absorbed, the ball of light flashed.

They covered their eyes from the blinding light for a moment. After it cleared, they gasped. Floating in front of Sakura was only one Sailor pen—it was silver and white. Awed, Sakura reached out and gently grabbed the pen.

"What happened?" Lita asked.

Mina shook her head. "I don't know."

Sakura squeezed the pen. She knew what to do. She raised the pen above her head and took a deep breath. "UNIVERSAL CRYSTAL ETERNAL POWER!" The transformation began. The young girl, Sakura Tsukiyama, was lifted up into the air. She started to glow and white light enveloped her. Suddenly, tall white boots with silver trim appeared on her legs, white gloves with silver trim appeared on her arms, a purely white Sailor uniform covered her body, and a silver tiara appeared on her head. The stone of the tiara and middle of the bow was a diamond. She was a purely white Sailor. She was Sailor Universe—the combining of all the powers of the Sailor Scouts.

She was different. She stood tall, confident, and strong. Sailor Universe looked over at Prince Kyanite. She raised her arms and started to form an energy attack. "UNIVERSE HEALING ESCALATION!" The attack was like Sailor Moon's Moon Healing Escalation but much more powerful. The attack surged forth and hit the body of the dark Prince. The light hit the Prince, causing him to scream violently. Along with the screams of the Prince, the evil spirits started to scream and howl. Soon, they left the body of the Prince and evaporated within the light. The attack dissipated.

"Kyoji?" Raye called out. She ran over to the lifeless body and took him into her arms. "Kyoji?"

Faintly, he opened his eyes and smiled. "Raye," He smiled through his exhausting and pain. His eyes were blue, his hair was pure blonde, and his moon symbol was right-side up.

"Kyoji!" She hugged him tightly in tears. "I thought I lost you."

Kyoji sat up with Raye's assistance. He held onto her tightly. "I missed you so much." He started to wipe his lips. "She kissed me with her old nasty fish lips!"

Everyone gently laughed, except Queen Beryl, who only grew furious at the statement.

"How's this then?" Raye kissed him deeply.

The Queen watched, growing more furious. "I'LL KILL YOU BEFORE I LET YOU HAVE HIM!" She started to charge towards Kyoji and Raye.

"UNIVERSE DEEP SUMERGE!" Sailor Universe mimicked Sailor Neptune's attack. The attack hit Beryl and sent her smacking into the wall. She fell to the ground, completely denting the wall. Flabbergasted, Beryl stood up.

"Want to try another one, Beryl?" Sailor Universe smirked.

Queen Beryl pondered for a moment. Time was running out. Soon the eclipse would be finished and she wouldn't be on the throne to take control of Crystal Tokyo. She had to get to Tokyo before it was too late. She had to make her final stand on the Earth. Suddenly, Queen Beryl disappeared.

* * *

The city was covered entirely in dark crystal. Soon it would be permanent if she could get to the throne of Crystal Tokyo fast enough. She ran through the city towards the palace. Finally, she reached the stairs and ascended up the crystal staircase. She would be Queen of evil Crystal Tokyo. She was almost there.

"HOLD IT!"

Queen Beryl turned around. With everyone surrounding her, Sailor Universe transported them to Crystal Tokyo from the Negaverse. When they touched the ground, they backed away from Sailor Universe. There was going to be a showdown.

Sailor Universe stepped forward. Queen Beryl completely turned around to face her opponent. Both of them glanced up to the sky. The eclipse was almost complete. Beryl reached for her dark crystal; Sailor Universe reached for her crystal—the combination of all the Planet Crystals. Beryl called on the power of evil; Sailor Universe called upon the powers of good. Simultaneously, a pillar of light shot up to the sky from Sailor Universe while a pillar of darkness shot up from Queen Beryl. Power surged through both of them. It was the ultimate showdown of good and evil. It was the War of the Universe.

Time stopped. Only Sailor Universe and Queen Beryl moved. Sailor Universe pushed off the crystal ground and flew towards Beryl. Queen Beryl levitated off the ground and charged towards Sailor Universe. Beryl extended her claws, ready to strike. Sailor Universe held out her fist. Slipping through Beryl's arms, Sailor Universe charged forward, her fist flying through Queen Beryl. Her fist pierced straight through Beryl—she was moving at the speed of light. Her entire body passed through Queen Beryl. Before she could even think what happened, felt the pain, or screamed, Queen Beryl disintegrated into dust. Sailor Universe continued to fly forward. In air, she gently turned around, flying backwards. Her body gently flew into the throne of Crystal Tokyo.

The Universe flashed.

It felt like forever that the brightness lasted, but eventually it stopped. Colors flooded into their vision—bright and beautiful colors. Crystal Tokyo was born. It was pure city of crystal. Gasping, they looked at themselves. They were in the clothing of Crystal Tokyo. There was no longer a Serena and Darien—there was only Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion. The others were dressed in their finest dresses and clothing. They looked up towards the throne. Sakura was on the throne of Crystal Tokyo—she was an heir of the Moon Kingdom. Awed, everyone rushed up the remaining steps to the throne. The young girl, Sakura, stood up from the throne. She gingerly walked up to King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity. Falling to her knees, she humbly held up the Sailor pen for Sailor Universe to Neo-Queen Serenity. The Queen took the pen. Instantly it transformed into a diamond crystal—the Universal Millennium Crystal.

Sakura kept her head bowed in humility, but Neo-Queen Serenity grabbed the girl by the arms and pulled her up into her embrace. "You have saved us all, Sakura."

The girl was confused. Serenity released Sakura from her embrace. She held out her arm away from the palace. Sakura looked out. Everyone from Tokyo stood at the bottom of the palace.

Sakura gazed over all the people. "But I'm a nobody," She uttered to herself, in tears.

Serenity put her hands on the girl's shoulders as they looked out into the mass crowds. "Trust me, darling, you're a somebody."

Sakura looked over the millions of people. She had saved them all. The War of the Universe was over.


	30. Destiny

**Chapter Thirty**

**Destiny**

A new world was born. The old had gone, and the new had come. Crystal Tokyo was born. One by one through the crowds came loved ones they knew from the past. They celebrated together over the new world and rebirth that had taken place. Their families understood now that their children were Sailor Scouts destined to save the universe from harm. Everything was set right now.

At the top of the stairs where the victorious warriors stood, a bright light appeared. Soon, the apparition of the former Queen Serenity stood before them.

"Mom!" Neo-Queen Serenity called out.

Everyone bowed before the angelic ghost, but Serena and Kyoji ran up to their mother. The ghostly Queen smiled at her children then looked past them. "Princess Mars."

Raye looked up. "Your majesty?" Raye stood up and walked over to the Queen and stood in-between Serena and Kyoji.

The Queen held out her hand. Within her palm were two plain silver rings. Recognizing them, Kyoji and Raye's eyes flew wide open. Raye put her hand over her mouth while Kyoji's jaw dropped open.

"I've been saving these as a wedding present." She handed the smaller one to Raye first then the larger one to Kyoji.

"A wedding present?" Kyoji took his ring and slipped it on his finger.

The Queen reached up her hand and put it on Kyoji's shoulder. "This is when Raye and you marry in the future."

Kyoji looked back at Raye then back to Serenity. "But, I…We're so young. I mean just hours ago we were kids in high school…"

"And now we're in the future." Serenity smiled. "This is your destiny, Prince of the Moon. Do you love her?"

Kyoji silenced himself and looked at Raye again. "With everything in me," He answered. He faintly smiled, and she smiled back, taking his hand.

Serenity looked to her daughter. "Serena, dear, I'll trust you to put on a fabulous wedding for your brother and Raye."

Serena squealed. "I get to be the wedding coordinator?" She gasped again then ran off, dragging Darien behind her.

Serenity glanced over the crowd again. "Sakura."

The young girl stood up and came over. "Yes, your majesty?" She bowed her head very low. Serenity grabbed her by the chin and tilted her head up.

Serenity smiled. "Not only am I proud of you as a Queen but as a grandmother, child." She hugged the girl. "Your real grandmother is proud of you too."

"My mother?" Kyoji questioned. "Is she well? And my father?"

Serenity nodded. "Yes, they are well in Heaven." She pulled from Sakura's embrace. "I must go back to them now. My energy is almost spent." The Queen kept backing away, and soon she slowly evaporated into the air.

Everyone stood in silent amazement until Serena came back. "Come on, people! We've got a wedding to get rolling!"

Kyoji looked over at Raye. She instinctively looked over at him at the same time. They caught each other's eyes for a moment until Serena walked in-between them.

"It is bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding!" Serena exclaimed. "Kyoji get away from Raye! Raye get away from Kyoji!"

"Serena!" Raye hissed. "It's a little late for that now!"

Serena didn't pay any attention. "There's so much to do! Decorations! Outfits! Invitations…"

"I hope we are invited," A voice called out.

Everyone looked up. Two familiar figures stood before them. One was tall and strong with blonde hair, blue eyes, large scar over his left eye, and a crescent moon on his forehead. The other was graceful and beautiful with long flowing black hair. With them were a young boy with blonde hair like his father and a younger boy with black hair. There were three girls. Two with black hair like their mother, and one with blonde and blue eyes. All of the children bore the Moon symbol like their father.

Sakura stared for a moment as her eyes started to water. "MOM! DAD!" She ran forward into the arms of the newcomers. "KENSHIN!" She hugged the blonde boy. "TENCHI!" She touched the black haired boy. "KIKYO, REIKO, AOI!" She grabbed onto all of her sisters.

Kyoji and Raye marveled. Before them, stood the future versions of themselves. Kyoji looked at the man's scar then reached up for his own fresh scar over his eye. The future family walked forward as they joyously reunited with their daughter.

Kyoji kept his hand on his scar. "I don't understand. Beryl kidnapped me and almost changed the future."

"That was destiny all along." The future Kyoji answered.

"So everything that happened was what was actually supposed to happen?" The younger Raye asked.

The older Raye smiled. "Yes, everything is destiny."

They stood in wonder at each other for a few moments. The younger Raye reached out and took the hands of Sakura. "We'd be honored if you would come to our…well, your…wedding." She looked at Sakura. "I'd be honored if you'd be my Maid of Honor."

"Really?" Sakura beamed.

The younger Raye nodded.

The rest of the Sailors came forward to look at the future family. It was absolutely amazing to see what Kyoji and Raye would grow up into.

Mina pondered for a moment. "So, you had six kids, eh?" The Sailors looked over the six children that the future Kyoji and Raye had with them. The future Kyoji and Raye glanced at each other. "Well…" They uttered at the same time. The future Raye touched her stomach. "I'm pregnant again."

"Seven kids!" Mina exclaimed.

Hayate crossed his arms and looked at the younger Kyoji and Raye. "You guys have seven kids?"

"Seven?" Kyoji gulped.

The future Kyoji and Raye looked at each other again. The older Raye pondered for a moment. "Actually, we're having twins."

"Eight?" The younger Raye asked, almost smiling.

The younger Kyoji fainted.

"Kyoji!" Raye tried to catch him.

* * *

Serena outdid herself. The throne room of the Crystal Palace looked more wonderful than it had ever before or ever will again. She loved her brother and best friend so much that she planned the wedding of the century. The room was draped in the finest white tapestries, the floors polished to shine, and exotic flowers from all over the universe gave off wonderful fragrances.

Before the platform of the throne, were the bridesmaids: Ami, Lita, Mina, and Sakura, the Maid of Honor. On the other side, Hayate, Eiji, Diego, and King Endymion stood as groomsmen. And in the center of the platform, Kyoji stood with Neo-Queen Serenity staring down the aisle.

She came down the aisle in the purest of white. Guiding her down the aisle, her grandfather beamed proudly—a day he never thought he would see with his health. Her blushing and smiling face was veiled from the world as she slowly headed down the aisle. Her dress was long sleeved and tight at the top but bushed out like a prom dress on the bottom. Radiant and beautiful, she made her way up to the platform where Kyoji eagerly took her hand.

It was Neo-Queen Serenity who could pronounce the marriage of royalty in the realm of the Golden Millennium. In that moment, she was serious, poised, and graceful as she started the ceremony. She was still the goofy and silly Serena Tsukino of Tokyo, but the Princess that was inside of her all along started to shine.

As the Queen ran through the vows, the future Kyoji pulled off his ring and motioned his wife to do the same. As the younger Raye said "I do" the older Raye mouthed to her husband. The older Kyoji did the same when his counterpart said the same. They exchanged rings quietly in their pew as the new couple exchanged their silver bands for the first time in this life. All of them thought back to the first time the exchanged the rings in the past.

"I now pronounce you King and Queen of Mars, Prince and Princess of the Moon Kingdom, Prince and Princess of Crystal Tokyo, and Husband and wife." Serena threw her arms up in their, breaking her serious note. "Kiss her!" She winked at Kyoji.

Kyoji looked up at his sister and shook his head. "I will." He learned forward, taking his new wife into his embrace, and kissed her. Unnoticeably in the pews, the older version of the couple shared in a kiss too.

* * *

The reception was just as beautiful as the wedding. People laughed, ate, danced, conversed, and had a wonderful time. People from all over attended.

"What do you think?" the young Kyoji asked, as he danced with his future daughter.

"About what?" Sakura asked.

"Getting to see your parent's wedding before you're even born?"

"It's an experience that I'm sure nobody's ever had before." She smiled.

Kyoji spun her around then pulled her close to him. "Is there something wrong?"

"You mean besides the fact you're a terrible dancer?" Sakura faintly giggled.

Kyoji gave her a serious look.

Sakura shrugged. "I don't know." Her eye caught the balcony.

Kyoji looked over at where Sakura's attention was at. He peered through the opening leading out to the balcony. A lone figure stood out in the darkness. "Why don't you get some fresh air?"

"I don't need any fresh air? I didn't say anything about fresh air?" Sakura got defensive.

"Sakura," Kyoji said, already developing the fatherly tone.

Sakura sighed. "I'm afraid."

"You defeated Beryl, and you're afraid of talking to someone?"

"I was scared of Beryl too."

"But you did get through it, right?"

Sakura shrugged. "I guess so."

Kyoji stopped dancing. "Sakura, what are you afraid of?"

"Rejection," Sakura looked sad.

Kyoji sighed gently and put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "If you never go talk to him, you're giving yourself exactly what you don't want. You've already rejected yourself, and you're not with him. Take a chance. He may reject you, which he'd be a fool to, but at least you would know."

Sakura pondered for a moment then grabbed Kyoji in a hug. "You're going to be a great dad someday."

Kyoji hugged back. "I hope so."

Sakura pulled away and walked off the dance floor towards the balcony. Once she reached it, she took a deep breath and stepped out into the darkness.

The younger Raye walked up to her new husband. "Is everything alright with Sakura?"

Kyoji looked towards the balcony. "She's fine." He turned quickly and grabbed Raye in a tight embrace. "I think it's time for the tango!"

"You can't dance!" Raye looked confused.

"Why does everyone say that?" Kyoji asked.

Raye reached up and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "You may be able to command legions of warriors, but honey, you can not dance to save your life."

Sakura gingerly walked through the darkness. The sky was clear and beautiful but there were a few scattered clouds that caught the moonlight and glowed in the sky. She approached slowly towards the shadow that stood on the edge of the balcony. She was a few feet behind him, but she could move no further. Her heart pounded and her legs went numb.

"Is there something you want?" He faintly asked.

"No! No! Not at all!" Sakura scurried over to balcony, keeping a few yards between herself and Kazuki. She looked over the balcony across Crystal Tokyo. It really was extraordinarily beautiful that night. "I just needed some fresh air."

Kazuki looked over, nodded, then returned his gazed towards the city. The two of them stood silent for a very long time. As she stood there in the silence, the words of her future father echoed through her mind over and over again. If she didn't tell him, she would never have any chance of being with him, even though she felt there was no chance anyway. She started to open her mouth.

"Kazuki, I like you!" She blurted out then regretted it.

He backed away from the balcony. She closed her eyes in humiliation. She scolded herself over and over again in her mind.

"I'm sorry. I'm being dumb." She uttered. "I won't bother you anymore." She turned around and started to walk away.

A hand went around her wrist and pulled her back. She was terrified as he pulled her closer to her. She closed her eyes, feeling tears well up. "Kazuki, I'm sorry I bothered you, I just…" Her words were cut off. He kissed her.

Her heart pounded, her joy exploded, and her mind raced to one thought—it was her first real kiss. He pulled back from a mesmerized girl with a smirk. He was terrible with words so he tired a different strategy—it must have worked, she was happily dazed. He turned back towards the balcony. After a moment, she did the same, but still kept distance between them. As her hand hung freely at her side, it was soon clasped by his hand. She looked up. The shy boy with green hair and beautiful purple eyes actually smiled. "I like you too."

At the entrance to the balcony, they stood with smirks on their faces. He held her tightly from behind while she leaned back against him.

"They're cute," The older Raye smiled.

"Well…" the older Kyoji sighed.

"What?"

He pondered for a moment. "Nobody's good enough for my little girl, but I suppose he'd be the best for her."

Raye faintly hit his arm. "You know they're prefect for each other."

"That's for fate to decide," Kyoji said.

Raye looked back to Sakura and Kazuki. "Destiny has weaved them together. I can tell."

The older couple sighed then turned back towards the reception party. They looked across the room to the younger version of themselves sitting at the wedding table. They headed back into the party.

* * *

It was an overwhelming feeling. They sat together in the darkness with their hands entangled. By the moonlight, their hands were illuminated, and their silver rings reflected brightly. They were finally together after a long journey of pain, suffering, and confusion. He was an orphan boy who was raised by the cruel Master Tenzen. She was abandoned by her father, lost her mother, and used by men over and over again. Now here they were in Crystal Tokyo sitting next to each other on their bed. Merely days ago he was a student at Matsumura High, but now he was a Prince, General, husband, and soon to be father. She was once a student and miko girl, but here she was in a reborn future.

She looked up at him, catching his eyes. After everything she had been through, she finally found him. She understood her past, corrected her present, and stepped into her future. Everything about her past, present, and future connected through this man. She loved him throughout eternity, time, and space. His hand went to her stomach, and her hand went over his. Their child, from the Moon Kingdom, was now on the way. Destiny had weaved such a miracle to save this little one that would eventually save them all.

He looked at her, straight in the eye. They stared each other down for a moment until he kissed her. After a few moments of his advances, she leaned back onto the bed. She hadn't been with him since the Moon Kingdom. They were now husband and wife again. He stared at her for a few moments again. She reached up, and pulled his head down towards her. She kissed him then smiled, swelling with happiness. Destiny had been kinder to Sailor Mars this time around.

**THE END**


End file.
